Bedroom Confessions
by JandMsMommy
Summary: Edward was investigating the perfect murder. Part of his job was to protect the only witness's identity from the murderer. But can he control his feelings for her, and can he handle the secrets she hides? AH;E/B
1. The Scene

**A/N: Welcome, everyone to my new venture. If you are one of my regular readers, then thanks so much for sticking with me. If you are a new reader, then thanks for taking interest in this story.:) I hope everyone enjoys this! This story contains violence and murder, so be warned.:) Thanks to my beautiful and talented beta, AydenMorgen. Read her fic Empty Panes & Pretty Things--it's brilliant!! Love to all my Twitter ladies, and my readers! Please review--I love them!!**

**If you love the story, follow me on Twitter! twitter (.) com/AndyMCope**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or its characters, but the storyline is mine.:)

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_The blade flew through the air recklessly and blindly, tearing at the flesh of the young woman in its path. Shock and horror overtook her expression as the knife buried itself in her back between her shoulder blades. Her body convulsed at the sudden impact, and her eyes stung with fresh tears that immediately formed and made her sight hazy._

_There had been no warning of anyone else in the apartment, no noise. Just the silent sound of her breathing in the quiet bedroom, then suddenly there came the blinding pain that brought her to her knees. She tried to scream out but quickly discovered that she could not gather any air into her lungs, rendering her vocal cords useless. _

_The knife was abruptly pulled out of her then struck again, this time plunging into her neck. Her eyes became impossibly wider as she slumped further to the ugly pink carpet covering the floor._

"_Why?" She mutely thought to herself. "Why me?"_

_Her rose colored cheek lost its lush color as it hit the floor. She went limp as she collapsed. As the red blood trickled down the length of her neck, she could feel herself fading and knew she would be gone before anyone would have a chance to save her. _

_She heard the muffled footsteps as her intruder and (soon-to-be) murderer paced away from her and out of the room. Her vision was becoming increasingly blurry, and suddenly she felt nothing. The pain by the grace of God had disappeared entirely in a flash, signaling that she was now close to dying. The numbness of her entire body was a welcome feeling as she had just experienced more pain than she ever thought she could possibly bear at once. As the light slowly started to fade around her, a sob registered in her ears that she knew did not come from her. Before she could question its origin, she was gone. _

***~*~*The Next Day*~*~***

**EPOV**

The crime scene was perfect. Perfect from a criminal's perspective anyway. There were no signs of a struggle or intrusion, and the victim was free of any defensive wounds that would possibly yield any useful evidence. The blood splatter had been kept to a minimum as it seemed the killer only struck two times, once in the back and once in the neck. But the victim's black dress was visibly soaked with blood, and a coagulated jelly-like pool had formed underneath her body. The most blood seemed to have come from the wound in her neck, which most likely had stuck an artery and would have bled out quite rapidly. The other wound in her back also bled significantly. The point of entry was apparent by a jagged tear in the fabric of her dress.

Her long blonde hair was caked with dried blood and was spread wildly across her face, obstructing any view of her features. Black stiletto heels adorned her feet, and a small red leather purse lay about a foot away from her hip. She looked to be in her early twenties perhaps. A black handled knife sat on the floor near the victim's head. The blade looked to be painted red, and blood was splayed around it, indicating that it had been dropped carelessly.

"What's the victim's name?" I inquired of my partner, Mike Newton, who was also a certifiable asshole.

"Lauren Mallory."

"Age?" I asked, my eyes still focused on the dead girl.

"21." He responded.

"What do we know so far?" I took my eyes off the body and scanned the room around me. The room was dark, with deep colored wood paneled walls and ugly ass pink carpet on the floor. The bed was small with a cheap purple comforter laid out across it, and a simple aged white dresser sat on the opposite side of the room next to what appeared to be a large antique wood armoire. It was a cheap apartment, the cheapest place you could find in Forks, Washington. The police were accustomed to being called to that particular complex, but rarely did we detectives have to be brought in.

"First cops on the scene arrived after she didn't show up to work today, and the landlord was called by her boss when she wasn't answering her phone." Newton began. "He came with the keys, but the door was already unlocked. He walked through the apartment, found her, then ran the hell out and called the police."

"Alright. What about neighbors?" I asked, while walking slowly around the small room.

"They didn't hear shit." He said with a shake of his head. "I'm figuring this to have went down last night based on the look of the blood. This didn't just happen."

I nodded. "I agree. We need to find her friends, family. See if there's anyone out there who'd want to hurt her. We can't do shit here until the crime lab is done anyway."

He smirked at me and chuckled. "Well, Cullen, you're just as much a rookie at this work as I am. What's your opinion of the crime scene?"

The prick was mocking me as he always did. He was right; We were both rookies at the job, but his need to compete with me did nothing but piss me the hell off. At the age of 24, we were both in our first year as full blown homicide detectives. I had been paired with his arrogant ass when I arrived to Forks after graduating from the academy in Seattle, and his need to one-up me was annoying right away. I didn't care to give him my opinion. All I cared to do when he smirked at me that way was shove my black shiny shoe right up his ass.

"My opinion doesn't matter, but what it looks like is someone knew her or was watching her. Then they surprised her when they entered. Hell, the door could've been unlocked, giving them easy access."

He smirked again, spiking my annoyance to the maximum. "Good observation. Obvious, but good."

I rolled my eyes and flipped him the bird with a snicker, then proceeded to head toward the hallway off the bedroom.

Before my foot passed the threshold, the sound of movement behind me in the bedroom startled me. I swung around to look at Newton, and his expression of bewilderment must have mirrored mine.

"What the hell was that?" I asked, almost in a whisper.

He slowly shook his head, silently telling me he was just as clueless as I was.

The noise sounded again. It was some kind of scuffling as if a large mouse had been let loose in the room. We glanced at each other knowingly and nodded, unclasping our holsters which housed our firearms, preparing to pull them at a second's notice. We stealthily stepped back into the room, and the quiet scuffling resonated in our ears again.

I knew by the third time where it was coming from, and I pointed to the antique armoire. Newton nodded in agreement, and we crept to it carefully. We knew not to make a sound since it was always possible that the person inside could have a weapon ready if they were alerted to our presence.

We reached the armoire, and Newton hung back, his hand firmly on his weapon. With swift action, I grabbed the tiny handle and forced the door open.

And my eyes fell on a girl. I couldn't see her face, for her head was buried into her long white dress. Her scraggly brown hair was in a lose ponytail with pieces falling and laying against her cheeks. She was shaking, and her pale skin was covered with goosebumps.

Her fragileness and apparent fear made me concerned. Questions instantly flooded my mind as to why she was in this armoire, and how long had she been there. I knew whatever she had witnessed must have made her wracked with horror, so I approached her cautiously.

"Hello?" I asked softly. She shrieked and finally lifted her head to look at me. Terror was evident in her eyes, and the flesh around them was purple and sunk in. Her form was frail and wiry.

"I'm Detective Edward Cullen." I continued to speak softly, but her expression remained frightened. Her breathing was rapid, and her body still quaked. "It's ok. You're safe." I glanced at Newton then back at the girl. "We're cops."

Understanding seemed to cross her face somewhat, and she let out a heavy sigh.

"Can you come out of there, please?" I asked, lifting my hand and offering it her.

She stared at my hand for a moment, obviously confused and still scared, but she eventually reached her hand up tentatively and took mine. I pulled her out slowly, and barely audible whimpers escaped her mouth as she stood erect.

"That's better." I told her. As if she were unable to control herself, she leaned into me and placed her head gently against my chest. I was unsure of how to react to her gesture, but compassion overtook me, and I placed my hands lightly on her small back. "What's your name, Miss?"

In a shaky and raspy voice, she replied, "Bella."

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**Leave me a review and let me read your thoughts. :-) Up next is gonna be some Bella POV!**


	2. The Monster

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has added this to their alerts and/or favorities! I'm glad you are liking this so far, and I hope you continue to like it.:) Please continue to leave reviews; I read each and every one, and I promise to respond and show my appreciation.:) I love all my Twitter ladies! Thanks for all your support and encouragement you've given me in regards to this story. And a special thanks to my wonderful beta, AydenMorgen! Please read her fic, Empty Panes & Pretty Things--it's awesome!:)**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but the storyline is mine.:)

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_Yesterday upon the stair_

_I met a man who wasn't there_

_He wasn't there again today_

_Oh, how I wish he'd go away_

~ Hughes Mearns

**BPOV**

As I awoke encased in darkness, a piercing ache radiated through the small of my back and into my tailbone. My body screamed in opposition as I tried to uselessly shift to a more comfortable position in the cramped space. I was leaning against something hard and sat upon something of equal hardness. I instinctively brought my fingertips up to trace along my surroundings, but they only fell on more hardness on either side of me. It felt cold and smooth, the way I would imagine a wooden coffin would feel.

My neck also burned as if pin needles were set ablaze then used to prick my skin without an ounce of care.

My butt was numb as were my feet, which had obviously been tucked under my body an unknown length of time. I pulled them from under me, the tingling sensation setting in immediately as I bent my knees up to be parallel with my chin.

Once I moved on from the pain in my numerous joints, the question of _'where the hell am I'_ emerged in my thoughts. It was as if my short-term memory was as blank as the space around me and I could only remember things in snatches.

Grainy images of milk being poured into a glass flashed in my head. I could see myself inhaling the fresh summery scent of the dandelions and daisies that were perched on the window sill in a clear vase. Then like a veil fell over my reverie, my vision turned red, and suddenly there was…

Fear.

Fear enveloped me, and my breath hitched. I closed my eyes as I sat, attempting to conjure up my distant memories.

The glimpse of a faceless form, a monster, appeared in my mind's eye, watching. The image of him was nothing more than an shadowy silhouette, yet he released a menacing vibe that terrorized me to the core. The monster could have been as tall and threatening as Goliath, but I couldn't be sure as I quickly became desperate to repel the image of him from my head. My eyes clenched tightly, and I flinched, wishing the sight away. And then I saw Lauren standing--

_Oh, God, Lauren!_

My memory then brought forth the sound of a moist thud, like an ice pick being rammed into a watermelon. Something happened, but I didn't want to know what. I wanted to shrink away or be painted black so I could fade into the dark place in which I sat.

As if God heard my silent plea and was rejecting it, I heard scattered voices filtering into my ears.

The faceless monster must have returned. I cradled my knees to my chest and buried my head, hoping against hope that I would either be saved or killed quickly. I inevitably lost control of my nerves and couldn't hold back the shakes that jolted my cells as I awaited my fate.

The moment before madness ensues is a moment as familiar to me as bullies to school children. The terror is so unbearable that you simply want to get it over with already, the way you feel seconds before vomiting.

A sudden beam of light penetrated the darkness, but I didn't look up and kept waiting. Seconds seemed to become hours as I kept my head submerged in whatever clothing I was wearing. The soft pillow-like bundle of fabric covering my knees was the only defense against the attacker I knew was peering down at me.

"Hello?" A meek voice called, and I shrieked at the sound of it.

It was a male voice that struck me as soothing, but I couldn't be fooled. I yearned with every fiber of my being to implore that soft voice to just kill me swiftly. I fought with myself, but my dangerous curiosity won out, and I lifted my head from my knees.

And my eyes fell on a man. The moisture that had accumulated in them blurred the full view of his appearance, but I could swear I was gazing upon an angel. Compassion was visible in his expression, and his seemingly flawless face looked upon me with sincere concern.

"I'm Detective Edward Cullen." I remained tentative, still suspicious that he could be the monster in an angelic disguise. But he continued, "It's ok. You're safe." The would-be angel turned his head to glance at a barely noticeable man standing behind him, then brought it back to me. "We're cops."

Cops.

The word brought with it understanding, and I released a heavy breath.

"Can you come out of there, please?" With caution, he extended his hand to me.

The hesitation of accepting it was short lived, and I brought my own hand up to grasp his lightly.

In an instant, and even before my hand was entirely in his, a sense of comfort washed over me. It wasn't necessary to look at his features, although I knew even in my unsteady haze that they were beautiful. The sunlight pouring in from the window reflected off his deep copper hair, making it appear on the verge of flames.

I rose to full height, which was still significantly shorter than his tall stature, and the tremble in my body did not stop. I involuntarily began to whimper as the tremors affected even my vocal chords.

"That's better." The angel spoke again. As if unable to control myself, I leaned into him, and my head found a place against his chest. The beating of his heart pounded against my temple as fresh adrenaline still coursed through his body.

Strangely, my body pined for his hands on me. It seemed that at that moment, the world only contained the two of us, and he was the only remedy for the twistedness I was experiencing.

And then his hands were on my back, and my senses went wild in spite of myself.

"What's your name, Miss?" He asked.

I uselessly opened my mouth, not for one second expecting any sound to come out. But as I trembled and quaked, I rasped out, "Bella."

_Now get me the hell out of here._

***~*~* 7:00 PM*~*~***

**EPOV**

The questioning was not going well. We sat in that small white bricked room at the station with Sergeant Banner, the big burly man who had been my superior for nearly the past year, as Bella was taken through all the standard questions.

"Full name?"

"Isabella Marie Swan."

"Age?"

"Nineteen."

The answer of her age surprised me. This girl that sat across from me, wearing the white bag posing as a dress was nineteen? The frail, broken person who was so thin that the tiny straps of the dress seemed to cling to her shoulders for dear life was actually a young adult?

Her pony tailed hair was still falling in her face, but she made no attempt to swat it away. Instead, she stared at an invisible spot on the table and methodically answered our questions one by one.

"Date of birth?"

"September 13, 1987."

"Where are you from?"

"Phoenix, Arizona."

I caught myself from time to time subconsciously studying her face as though by looking hard enough I would maybe begin to understand her.

There had been some kind of strange connection between us when we embraced while standing next to that armoire. My pulse had been calm and steady even as I pulled her out of it. But the moment she found comfort against my chest, my heart responded, and its beating quickened pace.

"Did you know the victim well?"

"Not really."

"How long had you known her?"

"One week."

We were getting to the hard part. There was no doubt in my mind that Bella had experienced something traumatizing, and I was fully prepared to stop this interview in the event that she have a breakdown at any of the questions asked.

The very mention of Lauren Mallory seemed to be enough to bring on the panicking process. It was evident in her sudden intake of breath, her face becoming devoid of any color, and the way her body began to break out in those familiar shakes.

"When was the last time you saw Lauren alive, Bella?"

"I don't know."

"Did you see anything of what happened to her?"

"I…I don't know. I d-don't remember."

She was stumbling. My next indication that it was getting to be too much for her. Her breathing had accelerated to a worrisome speed, and beads of sweat were now visible along her brow.

I looked at my superior as he leisurely sipped from his still full cup of coffee like he was completely failing to notice the terror stricken young woman seated before him.

"Sergeant Banner, can I talk to you for a minute?" This shit needed to stop.

"Sure, Cullen." Taking one last meager sip, he stood and addressed Bella. "We'll be back shortly, Miss Swan. You take a break and relax."

I looked to her, and our eyes found each other's as I rose to my feet. I could almost feel those deep brown orbs penetrating my very soul, and I threw her a nod, a faulty attempt at trying to be reassuring.

I turned and followed Sergeant Banner out of the room. We were met by the overly anxious Mike Newton as he expectantly waited outside the door for his opportunity to get in on the questioning.

"Newton, get Miss Swan a cup of water." The Sergeant ordered without so much as a glance at him.

I smirked in amusement as Newton narrowed his eyes at the back of Sergeant Banner's head, then strutted to the water cooler muttering, "I'm no fucking maid."

"What's on your mind, Cullen?" The Sergeant asked, propping himself against the wall near the doorway of the break room.

"Well, sir, you can tell the girl is traumatized. Maybe even suffering from post traumatic stress or some shit like that. So I don't think we're gonna get anything useful out of her tonight."

"Hm." He responded pensively with a nod. "An evaluation may be a good idea. Maybe question her with a shrink present."

"Want me to arrange it?" I asked, preparing to head to a phone.

"Nah, let Newton arrange it. You go tell her the plan, then you can take her when it's time."

He proceeded to step away as I turned back in the direction of the room where Bella waited.

"Oh, and Cullen," he suddenly continued, "find out if she has a place to stay tonight. We need to make sure she's safe. If she doesn't have anywhere to go, well, then…" He trailed off, running a pudgy hand over his balding head.

The words I spoke next flowed without a second's thought beforehand.

"She can stay with me."

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**Review, Review, Review!!! :) I'm sure some of you may have some questions, and I would love to answer them without giving too much away. Nothing is as it seems in this story.:)**


	3. The Angel

**A/N: I want to thank everyone that has added this to their favorites or alerts. I'm sorry if I haven't thanked you personally yet, but I promise I will! :-) I keep every name listed in my inbox, so I know who all my readers are. Please leave reviews, especially for this chapter because it was a hard one to write. Let me know how I'm doing!:) And thanks to those that have left reviews thus far. Keep 'em coming! I love you all!**

**Thanks and Love to my Twitter girls for putting up with all my whining and complaining. Thanks for helping me out when I experience writer fail! Special thanks to my beta, AydenMorgen, for giving me so much insight and for helping make each chapter better. I love ya! Everyone check out her story Empty Panes & Pretty Things!!**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but the storyline is mine.

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_And there's always a moment of clarity_

_In the midst of chaos_

_I've found mine,_

_Have you found yours?_

~Author Unknown

**BPOV**

Detective Edward Cullen was indeed an angel. His celestial attributes included the lips which fell into a perfect pout, the thick eyebrows that appeared almost animated, and the emerald eyes that held an expression of hope laced with mysterious melancholy.

Even a blind person would take a second look at this man.

The tranquility exuding from him reminded me of lying in a meadow, amongst flowers rustling in the breeze, and only he could bring me to the place where I did not have to be afraid.

I could feel the eyes of both men on me as we sat in that prison-like room. But the Sergeant's gaze held a different meaning than that of my angel's.

Sergeant Banner looked upon me as though he were studying a textbook that was only mildly interesting. The answers to the questions of my personal life merely fluttered in the air, never reaching his ears at all.

Detective Cullen's stare felt watchful, protective, and I was relishing in it.

He seemed to hang on my every word, and I couldn't fathom why. The way his body leaned forward in the metal chair and reacted in various ways to my different answers made me feel strangely significant to him. Almost like he cherished me without knowing me.

This questionable concern he had for me reached its peak when inquiries of Lauren were brought up, and I lost control of my nerves again. My brain took over as my body went wild with tremors.

I went blank upon the mention of Lauren Mallory as though my mind was waging war with her very name entering my consciousness.

The interview was stopped at that point, the angel once again coming to my rescue when he looked to the fat man next to him and requested they speak alone for a moment.

We exchanged a glance (after the Sergeant spoke a request to me that I barely heard) that practically had me melting in my seat.

In the midst of inner pandemonium, his enticing green eyes managed to silence my world, and with a nod of his head, I was at ease.

He came back in the room alone shortly thereafter, the line of his eyebrows knitted together like he was in deep thought. His focus remained fixed on the floor until he sat down, at which point, he drew in a deep breath and brought his eyes up to meet mine.

"Uh, Bella. I mean, Miss Swan," he fumbled, "we think a medical evaluation may be a good idea for you after what you've been through."

_Did he think I was crazy?_

"We just know that you're upset and may not be ready to talk just yet."

Confused, I licked my lips and shook my head. "I'm not crazy. I wish I could remember what happened, but I can't."

He leaned forward in the chair, placing his hands on the table in a gentle fashion. "I know you can't remember, and you're not crazy. We just want to get you checked out anyway, you know, to make sure you're okay…physically." He timidly diverted his eyes from mine.

"So I'm going to have to see a doctor?" My tone probably made it no secret to him that I detest doctors. I had had my share of shrinks dissecting my every thought, doctors prodding around my nether regions, and prescriptions for medications I couldn't even pronounce being filled for me.

My mind reeled with clips of these unfortunate incidents, and I blinked a few times, bringing myself back to the present and the comfort of the man in front of me.

He shrugged, apparently not noticing my chaste anxiety and said, "It would only be a general check-up. And I'll be the one to take you."

My eyebrows perked, and with restrained yet still embarrassing enthusiasm, I asked, "You'll take me?"

Either out of bewilderment or politeness, he chose to ignore the giddiness in my response. Instead, he creased his brow and answered. "There's something else too."

He stopped, and I waited for him to continue.

"Do you have a place to stay tonight?" He blurted after a second of apprehension.

The hesitation with which he asked the question did not go unnoticed by me, and I wondered where this discussion was leading to.

"No, I don't anymore. I've only been here a week." I froze and fought the bile slipping up to my throat. "…She was the only person I knew."

His eyes nervously scanned the room, while mine stayed locked on him.

_What is he thinking about?_

Once he stilled his movements, he brought his attention back to me.

"Would you be opposed to staying with me tonight?"

_Breathe, Bella._

"Staying with you?" I failed at my attempt to keep my composure, and the words came out sounding strangled.

"Well, sleep at my apartment, I mean." He clarified.

_Keep breathing._

"Um, yeah. I can stay at your apartment." I bit my lip to hold back my grin.

His mouth turned up in a smile, revealing another heavenly characteristic.

**EPOV**

Newton managed to set up a nine a.m. appointment for Bella with Dr. Honaker, the psychiatrist that had an office in the next building over from ours. I was undoubtedly nervous at this turn of events as I hadn't anticipated entertaining Bella for the entire evening.

Ideas of how we'd pass the time and rehearsals of possible conversations we'd have infiltrated my thoughts as we walked out to the parking lot.

I made my way to the driver side of my silver Volvo after having opened the passenger door, allowing Bella to climb in.

I slid into my seat and shoved the keys in the ignition to start the car but was momentarily distracted when I looked down and to my right.

Bella's dress had hiked up when she sat down, exposing her chafed yet attractive knees underneath. I opened my mouth to ease the tension in my chest and tore my eyes away, turning on the engine and pulling away from the parking lot.

The drive started out silently as Bella kept her head facing the window. She was lost in her own oblivion, fixated on a certain turmoil in her life that I feared I could never understand.

"Do you have any clothes?" I asked to break the ice, knowing the obvious answer was that she did not.

"No." She responded, peeking at me through her hair. "They're back at the apartment, and I doubt we can go back there, huh?"

"No, we can't. But you're gonna need some clothes."

Luckily, she didn't refuse my offer to buy her a few things at the local Forks Outfitters, either because she was too exhausted or too frightened to say no.

She scanned the racks lazily as I looked on, amused at the way her face scrunched up when she studied a certain garment. Finally, she settled on a pair of simple black yoga pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. I followed her and watched as she grabbed all the necessary toiletries, then began to wonder what she was doing when we started back towards the clothing section.

We passed the tops and jeans and pajamas and kept walking until she stopped at the underwear.

White cotton panties hung next to satin panties in the colors of red, pink, and black.

My face began to flush.

I frowned at myself as inappropriate images of Bella danced around in my head. Even the thought of her wearing the unflattering white underwear seemed to excite me more than the full fledged lingerie I had seen girls wear in my presence.

I looked away but out of my peripheral vision, I saw Bella grab two pairs of the white panties then tuck them in between the pants and shirt she held.

She smiled at me sheepishly, her cheeks just as crimson as mine most likely were, and we headed toward the checkout to pay for the items.

We arrived at my fairly large two bedroom, two bathroom apartment, and I let her in while uttering apologies for the messy state it was left in. She remained quiet during my ramblings, smiling and scanning the living room as I grabbed the empty beer bottles that I had left on the end table the night before and took them to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry. I'm usually not this fucking messy." I lied.

"It's not messy. It's…homey." She said, smiling.

I chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you don't think I'm disgusting."

We stood in the middle of the living room, lost in each other's eyes for a moment before I snapped out of it and decided to give her a tour.

I grinned at her. "Come on. I'll show you around."

I took a chance and brought my hand out toward hers. I gave her an opportunity to refuse, but to my pleasant surprise, she took it and even lightly squeezed when her hand was fully in mine.

I motioned to the kitchen, which was obvious as it was directly off the living room, but she still nodded in acknowledgement. I then led her to the hallway, and the feel of the tender bulb of her thumb running over mine as we walked did not escape my notice.

"My room." I motioned to the bedroom on the right side without entering or turning on the light.

"Bathroom." I pointed out, turning my attention to the opposite side of the hall.

We came to the guest room that I fortunately always kept prepared for company, and I flicked on the light.

"This is your room."

I led her inside while still keeping hold of her hand. I took the bag from her other hand that contained her clothes and other necessities and dropped it on the bed.

"The bed is pretty comfy, if I do say so myself…" My voice fell quiet as I trailed off, sensing the electricity suspended in the air as we stood alone in the silent room where she'd be sleeping. I swallowed hard, and my pulse accelerated in response to the sudden intensity between us.

Before I could stop myself, I allowed my fingers to trace along her soft knuckles as my eyes stayed glued to hers and I exhaled shallow breaths.

She stared back at me, and the warmth and gentleness in her brown eyes captivated me and almost put me in a trance.

_You can't fucking feel this way about her, Cullen._

"Um…," I glanced at our clasped hands, breaking the trance and said, "I'm gonna go take a shower."

I smirked when I saw a glimmer of disappointment cross her expression.

With one final squeeze, she dropped my hand and gave me an unconvincing smile. "Okay. If it's alright with you, I think I'll do the same."

An eyebrow cocked involuntarily at her words, but I quickly gathered myself and nodded.

"Yeah, there should be towels and soap and all that shit in there. Help yourself to anything. I'll be in my bathroom." I needlessly said.

I left her in the room and scurried to my bedroom, sighing in relief once I escaped the electrically charged atmosphere I had been sharing with Bella.

The connection was intense, too intense for me to be able to handle much longer. I made it to my bathroom and pulled the holster that held my SIG-Sauer P245 pistol from my belt, placing it on top of the toilet.

I stripped off my clothes quickly, desperate for the hot water to calm my nerves and my growing desire.

And I imagined Bella doing the same.

**BPOV**

Edward held my hand. What excited me most about this was the fact that he didn't have to. It was absolutely unnecessary for him to lead me through the apartment by the hand, so my heart leapt in elation when the only logical conclusion was that he did it because he wanted to. As he gave me the tour of his home, my smile never faded as I repeatedly glimpsed at our clasped hands, absorbing the sweet comfort it gave me.

Though I tried to avoid caressing his fingers with mine, it was no use, and I couldn't fight the urge to gently squeeze and trace the lines of his hand with my fingertips as he introduced each room.

Being in Edward's residence was abnormally comfortable, and I experienced a strange sense of normalcy standing in his full-on bachelor pad. The living room was expectantly unorganized and decorated with the boyish colors of deep blues, dark greens, and black. A large pricey looking flat screen TV sat on a black entertainment center. The kitchen was dull with only the basic appliances on the counter tops as though he rarely went in there.

The guest room was simple, containing a queen sized bed with black bedding and a small dark wood dresser on the other side of the room.

He ushered me in, tossed aside the bag I was holding, then made a comment about the bed that made my heart palpitate.

_Why do the words "bed" and "comfy" sound so sexy coming from this man?_

The answer was indisputable: This man could make any word sound sexy.

Right then, it happened. He stopped speaking, and the air inside the bedroom began to change.

I knew the room was silent, but the distinct hum of electricity flowing between us seemed to attack my ears, and we just looked at each other.

The hold his eyes had on me made me dizzy, almost triggering vertigo, and the next thing I felt was the rubbing of his fingers over mine.

My euphoria was short-lived, though, as he pulled his eyes away and announced that he was going to take a shower.

I informed him that I wanted to do the same, which seemed to throw him for a moment, and then he walked out, leaving me dazzled.

I timidly made my way to the bathroom after picking up the bag of necessities from the bed and removed my clothes. The moment I shed the last article of clothing, I heard the water turn on in Edward's bathroom, and my breathing hitched.

Even though there was fifty feet or so separating us, we were now both naked and alone in his apartment, and my cheeks flushed at the thought.

I ran the water in my shower until it was hot, then stepped in.

And I imagined Edward doing the same.

**EPOV**

I stepped under the hot steam, allowing the heat to wash over my face as I closed my eyes. I tried to concentrate on the task of washing myself, but the water droplets cascading down my back felt like fingertips, and I couldn't help but imagine that they were Bella's.

_Fuck…_

I threw my head back, releasing a heavy breath as images of her delicate hands in her wet hair incessantly started playing on my inner eyelids. I was becoming almost painfully hard as the scene traveled down to her soft neck, her bare shoulders, over the mounds of her pale breasts, then on to her petite waist.

Excitement and tension began to build in every muscle with each passing second, and I could feel that I was gradually losing control as I eagerly anticipated the part of her body I would see next.

Before my lust filled eyes could venture further south, the water turned cold as all the heat had been used, and I reached down to turn it off. I dried off quickly, forcing my body to calm down and stepped into my bedroom to search for my pajamas.

Once I was dressed, I stopped to listen for any movement coming from Bella's room. Hearing nothing, I decided to walk out of my bedroom towards hers, uselessly convincing myself the whole way that I was only checking on her. When I reached the doorway, I grew brave enough to look in.

The room was dimly lit as Bella had only flicked on the little lamp on the nightstand.

Her back was to me, and she was pulling and tugging at her hair with a brush in a way that made me wonder if she was angry.

_Maybe I should knock._

But I didn't.

Instead, I shakily said her name, and she turned in the direction of my voice.

**BPOV**

The bathroom began to cloud with steam as I mindlessly washed my body with a soapy blue loofah. My thoughts refused to stray from the exquisite man just down the hall that was currently naked and dripping wet.

As I dragged the sponge over myself, I closed my eyes, and suddenly he was there, and the loofah became his hand.

The feeling of his phantom hand tenderly running over the most intimate parts of my body brought goosebumps to the surface of my skin in spite of the extremely warm water.

My breathing became jagged, and I giggled mutely as I saw his glistening bronze hair, matted with water, and the playful smirk on his pink lips that teased me. My imagination then feasted on the sculpted planes of his chest that my hands ached to explore.

Although I was merely fantasizing, the lusciousness of his body was almost too overwhelming.

_Could I handle it, if he were ever actually standing right in front of me?_

My gaze proceeded to travel further down his body but was interrupted when the chilliness of the water startled me out of my daydream.

I turned to quickly shut it off and got out, grabbing the dark green towel off the rack to dry myself. I threw on the black pants and long-sleeved t-shirt and brushed my teeth, then turned off the light and shuffled to the guest room.

As I sat on the bed with my back facing the door, I brushed my damp hair and listened for any sign of Edward. I heard nothing at first, concluding with dismay that he must have gone to bed, and continued yanking at the knots in my hair.

But a moment later, I heard my name being faintly called from the doorway, and I turned in his direction.

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**So, how did I do? Please leave me a review & let me know if you hated it or loved it. I could really use the feedback! :)**


	4. The Gentle Evaluation

**A/N: This continues from the last chapter, after the mutual showers. :) I hope you enjoy it! Thanks to everyone for adding and favoriting the story. As I said before, I try to thank everyone personally BUT I have all your names in my inbox, so I do know who you all are! Please leave reviews, though, I respond to all of them. :)**

**Thanks to the ladies of Twitter--sorry I whine and complain at times, but you keep me from losing my mind. :) My beta, AydenMorgen, is awesome, and these chapters would not be the same without her suggestions and input! Love ya! Read her story Empty Panes & Pretty Things!**

**Also, follow me on Twitter. I'd love to chat with you! : twitter (.) com/AndyMCope **

Disclamer: I don't own Twilight, but the storyline is mine.

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_"He who asks questions, cannot avoid the answers."_

_~African Proverb_

**EPOV**

Just the idea of stepping inside the room after the bathroom fantasy I had just had about her caused a riot in my gut that I could not control.

The only thing that pushed me forward into the bedroom was Bella's expression. It revealed a hint of excitement when she spotted me in the doorway.

I slowly approached her, and the closer I got, the more her eyes danced.

"Sorry if I'm disturbing you." I said as I stopped at the foot of the bed and deeply inhaled the intoxicating aroma of lavender soap that swirled in the air.

I took slight notice of her eyes bashfully gliding over the length of my body, but for the sake of not feeling awkward, I chose to ignore it.

"You're not disturbing me at all." She responded shyly.

We both fell silent, unsure of what to say next, and I looked down, fidgeting my feet.

"Do you want to sit down?" She asked while patting a spot on the bed.

I grinned at her and nervously took a place on the edge of the bed, pleased at the fact that she was inviting me to stay.

She scooted, positioning herself in the center of the bed and crossed her legs to sit Indian style. Her timid smile and the crimson radiating from her cheeks did not waver as we both got comfortable, and I had to contain my smirk by biting on my lip and looking away from her.

"Thank you." She abruptly said, and I snapped my head back in her direction.

"For what?"

She pushed a hand through her damp long hair, and her blush increased. "For letting me stay here, for buying me clothes. For everything." She shrugged.

I smiled and waved her off politely. "It's no big deal, Miss Swan. It's my pleasure actually."

My smile fell a bit when she suddenly glanced at me seriously through her eyelashes, as though something I said annoyed her.

"You can call me Bella." There was tentativeness in her tone as she spoke.

"Of course. I mean, Bella." I chuckled and felt like a complete dumbass.

She simply shook her head amusingly and giggled in response.

I knew that the conversation we were about to have needed to steer clear of the subject of Lauren Mallory. As good as my intentions would be, there was no way I would risk potentially subjecting her to another panic attack.

Plus, I couldn't deny that I was more curious to learn about Bella herself.

First, I had to overcome the awkwardness of having just seen her half-naked in my imagination.

_Don't think about that shit right now!_

"So, Bella, you're from Phoenix?"

"Yeah, originally. But I consider this town my home now. There's nothing for me in Phoenix."

"Do you not have any family there?"

Tension crossed her face at my question, and I feared I had somehow fucked up.

"No." She mumbled, picked at her hair.

_Change the subject…_

"Why'd you choose to move here?" I asked, hoping this was not another touchy subject.

The tension was still there as she gazed at the cheap black comforter.

But she offered, "My dad is dead, and my mom took off with her boyfriend, Phil, a couple years later. I guess you could say she abandoned me. I was trying to get to Seattle but didn't make it that far."

My mouth dropped. I did not expect her to be so forthcoming with me about her life. I figured it would take some incessant coaxing to get even one detail from her.

"Sorry about your parents. That's shitty." I said lamely.

She just shrugged her shoulders. "There wasn't a whole lot of love between me and Mom, especially after my dad died."

"How did he die?"

"An accident."

Questions were plaguing me. Questions I didn't dare ask but was desperate to ask echoed in my mind.

She seemed to speak of the sad events in her life in such a casual manner, but I had to wonder if inside she was secretly weeping.

My hand twitched as if it were pleading with me to be joined with hers.

"What was in Seattle?" I inquired, aching to know more and reverting back to her earlier comment.

She looked at me dead in the eyes finally and a grin played on her full lips. "Nothing."

I sighed. "Which means you have nowhere to go." It came out more as a statement rather than a question.

"I never did."

I took the opportunity to get closer to her as the electricity I had felt previously returned in full force between us. My chest constricted in response, and my movements became uncoordinated as a result of it.

I positioned myself directly in front of her and crossed my legs in a way that mirrored hers.

Her cheeks still held the lovely burning color of crimson as she eyed me questionably. But instead of leaning away from my close proximity, her body seemed to every so slightly advance towards mine. And she almost appeared to be holding her breath.

"You do have somewhere to go. You can stay here as long as you need to, Bella." I told her.

With a smile, she exhaled heavily and slumped her shoulders. "Why?"

I knew what she was asking. Why was I being so nice to her? Why was I inviting her to stay?

Why did she so quickly matter to me this much?

Considering I knew the answers but hardly understood them myself, I merely replied with, "I have my reasons, but I'll only tell you two of them: I need to make sure you're safe, and I enjoy your company."

I couldn't tell her that I was strangely protective of her, that I saw her gentle fragileness as endearing. And I surely couldn't tell her that I was insanely attracted to her petite figure and her pale creamy skin.

I suddenly noticed that in the short amount of time we had been sitting face to face, we had managed to inch close enough that our kneecaps were now flush against each others'.

And my hand was now screaming to touch hers.

I swallowed loudly and with shaky breaths, I reached out and ghosted my hand over one of hers that was resting on her lap.

_This shouldn't be happening…_

I ignored the thought and kept my eyes fixed on hers while increasing the pressure on her hand.

Staring back at me, she moved her fingers up and applied equal pressure.

We kept responding to each other's touch until I was fully grasping her hand, and I let out an audible sigh.

The movement of our hands brought us gradually closer, and for a fleeting moment, the loose fitted shirt she wore pulled away from her neck, exposing a flash of the alabaster skin of her collar bone.

I felt the pound of my heart behind my ears as my eyes took in the sliver of beautiful flesh.

Bella was fast becoming the most naked girl I had ever seen, even though she was fully dressed.

At this point, her expression seemed to radiate restrained excitement laced with uncertainty, like she was experiencing something entirely indecent for the first time.

In spite of my growing desire to graze those flaming red cheeks with my fingertips and cup the soft skin of her neck, I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and unwillingly let go, smiling brightly at her. "Just make yourself at home, okay?"

Her face fell a bit, and the gleam in her eyes faded as she nodded politely, "Thanks."

I made a move to stand but stopped when she spoke again. "Edward."

The sound of my name rolling off her lips for the first time nearly made me lose my breath. It felt thrilling to hear her delicate vocal cords pronounce each syllable, and I gladly sat back down, allowing her to continue.

"You really don't think I'm crazy?"

I creased my brow out of both confusion and shock that she would be willing to discuss any aspect of the murder.

"I really don't think you're crazy. Shit, you've just been through something pretty horrible. It's no wonder your mind is blocking it out."

She sighed. "Then what is this doctor gonna do to me? Hypnotize me? Make me look at pictures of ink blots? Prescribe me an anti-psychotic?"

Her tone came across as annoyed yet casual as if she had seen all this before.

I decided to be up front with her. "You're most likely experiencing post traumatic stress, Bella. I'm sure he can prescribe you something, but your mind will begin to clear when it's ready to. We won't force it."

She took in my words and smiled contently. "Thank you for saying that."

Unable to come up with an adequate response, I merely lifted my hand and brushed her cheek with the tips of my fingers in an attempt to reassure her of my honesty.

A miniscule amount of tension left my body when I finally allowed myself to touch her face. It was something I had been tempted to do since the moment I sat next to her, and her skin was just as soft and delicate as I had imagined it would be.

The moment I made contact with her cheek, the blush that had begun to fade rapidly returned under my touch, and I smirked at her.

After bidding her goodnight, I reluctantly left the room. I walked to my bathroom and grabbed my holster and gun from the toilet to place it in its usual spot in my nightstand.

I spent the hours tossing and turning that night, wracked with thoughts of Bella as well as inescapable paranoia.

There was someone out there who had killed a girl, and that person may or may not know that I was housing the only witness against them.

My gun lay in the same place it laid every night. The only difference? This time was the that the safety was not on.

**BPOV**

Waking up in Edward's apartment felt surreal, like I wasn't supposed to be there. I stretched my limbs as I awoke and looked around the room in amazement.

_Did last night really happen?_

I smiled a loose, clumsy smile and buried my head back in the pillow as memories of the night prior flooded my mind.

Edward had been too perfect. The interest and concern the man had shown for me and my life filled me with a quiet happiness that he could most likely see written all over my face. But the unfamiliarity of it caused me to be unsure, and I struggled to find words half the time.

My thoughts kept reverting back to the images of him I had seen while I showered. And although I attempted to keep my eyes focused solely on his face, the way his white T-shirt seemed to hug his body made it difficult to do.

I had to keep telling myself that this was really happening, that Edward was there, and we were indeed in the same room alone in the dead of night.

He moved closer then. He was so close that I felt his breath stir my hair.

While he continued to exhale steadily, my breathing had practically stopped all together.

My body unconsciously inched toward his, moving on its own accord as if it longed for him.

Then he spoke words that melted my heart.

"_You do have somewhere to go. Bella. You can stay here as long as you need to."_

I could feel the vein in my neck pulsating, and I blew out a heavy breath. He seemed hesitant when I asked him why he was so easily allowing me to stay, why he cared so much, like he was choosing his words carefully.

"…_and I enjoy your company."_

Elation surged through me at his simple confession, and then I suddenly sensed his knees against mine. My body froze.

Without looking down, he brought out his hand to mine, and I slowly responded to his touch, all the while uselessly containing the grin that threatened to consume my expression. But I could not hide the excitement that made my eyes twinkle.

At only one point did he divert his gaze elsewhere, and it appeared to land on my neck or slightly below it. Rather than feel uneasy at this, I took the opportunity to let my own eyes wander.

I glimpsed the tight muscles of chest that were outlined by his shirt, his strong forearms, his crossed legs.

I felt my face radiating heat, and I fought a grin as I took in his gorgeousness in one fell swoop.

But just as earlier in the evening, it was over too quickly, and he pulled his hand away before I was ready to let go.

He stood to leave but then lingered longer when I couldn't resist asking the question of whether or not he thought I was crazy. I had to be sure.

Although I trusted that he was being truthful with me back at the station, I had to hear it again, just to be reassured one more time that he indeed thought I was sane.

He spoke of post traumatic stress, and how they wouldn't force the memories through that were hidden in my mind.

His compassion for me was astounding, and I was baffled beyond words but managed to express an inadequate _"Thank you" _in response.

Then as if to prove the validity of his promise, he reached his hand up to tenderly graze my cheek with his fingertips.

The warm streak his hand made as it glided along my skin rapidly enveloped me, my whole body responding to the touch of those five fingers.

He walked out after that, leaving me unsatisfied as he usually did and wanting more.

Even though I was in an unfamiliar bedroom in an unfamiliar apartment with a virtual stranger (that I was inexplicably taken with), I had fallen asleep rather quickly and was granted the first dreamless night I had had in years.

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"So Bella, tell me how you met Lauren Mallory."

The name automatically made me lose my breath, as if my chest had been pounded by a close fist.

Dr. Honaker, who was a short pudgy man with salt and pepper hair, had begun the session with simple introductions, asked where I was from, and to my relief had strayed from any discussion pertaining to exactly how my father had died.

He merely nodded his head nonchalantly and offered a barely audible apology when I mentioned the vague details of my family's calamity.

But then he quickly delved into the week prior that led up to the murder.

With a hard swallow, I clasped my clammy hands together and attempted to ease the constriction on my lungs by taking a deep breath.

"I met her at the drugstore where she worked the day I got into town. I was just looking to buy a drink, but she was the only one there, and we started talking." I stopped.

From behind his intimidating wooden desk, Dr. Honaker stared at me expectantly, peering at me from above his wire rimmed glasses.

"She offered for me to stay with her as long as I didn't tell anyone. She didn't want to get in trouble for housing another tenant even though it was only going to be temporary."

Understanding crossed his expression.

"That's why everyone was surprised to see you in the armoire, then. No one knew you were staying there."

I nodded. "It was our secret."

He proceeded to write something in a leather bound notebook before speaking again.

"So where were you on the day of the murder, Bella? Do you remember anything from that day?"

I could feel the panic inching up my spine. Unstoppable and unexplainable panic.

The subject alone triggered the sweat that was moistening my brow and the acceleration of both my breathing and heart rate.

But most of all, it triggered my mind to go blank, and I once again only saw flashes, as though I were seated before a projection screen.

_Milk._

_Daisies._

_Dandelions._

_A monster that stood in the darkness._

_The wet sickening thud that made my stomach clench._

I blinked, then my eyes aimlessly wandered the room, searching for the angel who was nowhere to be found.

I was lacking the calming effect of his presence, and I felt utterly alone.

"I was there," was all I could choke out.

"But you remember nothing else?" He asked.

I brought a shaky hand to my temple. "I can't…I can't think."

"Okay, calm down." He said, gently. "Try to tell me what you see."

I exhaled jaggedly and laid my hand in my lap. "I see a man, but I don't know if he's real." Tears brimmed my eyes, and every cell quaked violently.

"What does he look like?"

I whimpered mutely. "I don't know. He's dark. I can't see anything."

_He terrifies me. Please don't make me go on._

"Is he in the apartment with you, Bella?"

"I don't know." The words were barely intelligible as I fought the tears.

"Do you see Lauren at all?" He pressed.

It was too much. I could feel all sanity slipping, and I was dangerously close to the edge.

Leaning forward, I buried my face in my palms and finally allowed the tears to flow.

"I see her standing…in the room…but I see nothing else." I spoke between sobs.

It was useless. The more I tried to think, the more my mind retreated. It was waging war with me as I attempted to overcome the crippling terror infiltrating my body in order to bring forth whatever it was keeping locked away.

He sighed. "Okay, Bella, we'll stop there."

There was still a gentleness to his voice, but it was clear that reactions such as mine were very familiar to him. And with a knowing nod, he again scribbled in the notepad. He finished and closed it as I wiped tears from my eyes with my sleeve.

"Bella, you're experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Basically, it means that you've gone through something that your brain can't deal with. There's not much you can do besides just be patient and wait for your thoughts to clear on their own."

As upset as I was, the diagnosis was one that I expected, and I huffed. "So what now?"

"I'm going to prescribe you some Valium, and we'll be talking again."

_Yeah, and what would be the point of that?_

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As I stepped outside of the sullen looking building after the session with Dr. Honacker, my mood quickly turned light when my eyes fell on the man that was waiting for me.

I was only vaguely aware of the other people in the parking lot, and their faces registered dimly as I focused on Edward leaning against his Volvo.

With a smile on his face and his gun on his hip, his eyes seemed to beckon me, and I happily went to him.

I made no attempt to conceal my own widening smile as I approached him, the knowledge welling in me with each step that we would soon be alone in his apartment again.

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**Anybody have any theories they'd like to share, or questions that I'll do my best to answer?? Please leave a review and tell me if you loved this or hated this....I'd really love some feedback as I go along! :)  
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	5. The Nightmare

**A/N: I must put up a slight warning for this chapter. Charlie is majorly OOC in this story. He is not the Charlie we all know and love from the books and movies, so please keep that in mind when you read the beginning of this chapter. :) **

**Thanks as always to my beautiful readers! I love you all so very much, and I know all your names since they're listed in my inbox. :) Please let me hear from you in a review! They make me smile no matter if they are just quick two worded reviews! And I respond to all of them. :) Love to my Twitter ladies, and my beta AydenMorgen. If you're not reading Empty Panes & Pretty Things--you should be! ;)**

**Follow me on twitter under the name AndyMCope. I would love to chat with you!**

Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight, but BC is mine. :)

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_"The most frightening nightmares are the ones that laugh at you."_

~Me

**BPOV**

_This was a dream, and my dad, Charlie, was drinking again. Therefore, it was more like a nightmare. It was always clear that he had reached his maximum level of intoxication when he started to laugh at everything._

_The chaos of the particular night that was featured in this dream began when I walked into the living room, and my father threw an empty beer bottle at me while laughing his maniacal laugh. The bottle hit me in the stomach, and I stumbled back at the impact._

_I asked where my mother was, and he answered with, "Hell if I know. Now get your ass in the kitchen and get me another beer."_

_I could feel the sting from the bottle on my stomach, and with tears already brewing, I staggered my way to the fridge. Before I even reached my hand out to the handle, his drunken voice rang out again._

_"What the fuck is taking so long?!"_

_I froze._

Please don't come in here.

_Time stopped as I waited for his next move. I could hear my own rapid breathing along with the distinct pound of his boots becoming as loud and threatening as a jackhammer._

_And suddenly his dirty fingers dug into my shoulder, and I was flung to the tile floor. I could feel the pain reverberate through my entire head when it forcefully smacked against the hard floor._

_I looked at my dad's face, and he only laughed again._

_"Get up. You look stupid laying down there on the floor."_

_His voice sounded as if he were speaking into a tunnel, and my vision became hazy while I struggled to obey and stand up. I was unable to and only made it to my knees before I collapsed to the floor again, landing on my back._

_When I heard laughter bellowing from him even louder, I knew he was watching me, disgustingly amused by the cruelty he was imposing on me._

_I laid flat on my back and wished he would just finally kill me to spare me of this pain, this indignity._

_Instead, he threw the fridge open, and his form disappeared behind the door._

_"Damnit!" He yelled. "I'm out of beer!"_

_He slammed the door shut._

_I stayed still. My head was throbbing, and the ceiling was spinning, making me feel like I was sinking into the earth._

Oh, how I wish I was.

_Although this was a dream, I could remember that I began to drift away as I laid on that floor, my entire being aching for an escape, and my eyes fell closed._

_I cried out a second later when I felt his fingers wrap around my forearm, and he yanked me up roughly, forcing me to my feet. The taste of fear was so potent in my mouth that I nearly gagged as I swayed from dizziness and my hand searched for something to brace myself._

_"I told you to get up, girl!" He spat at me. "I swear to God, you're fucking useless!"_

_I said nothing in response and clung to the stove since the entire room was now spinning. I breathed through my nose, fighting with all my willpower to stall the tears that were threatening to escape down my face._

_The pain in my head was becoming more localized but was not letting up at all. A stabbing sensation was present at a particular spot on the back of my head, and I placed my hand to it._

_This terrible dream brought all the memories of that night with it._

_Memories of the blood that spotted my fingers after I touched my injured scalp._

_Memories of my father's drunken laughter._

_And memories of him walking out the front door, informing me that he was going to get more beer and that he'd be back in an hour._

_It was the last night I saw my father alive._

_As he stepped out of the house, he left me with parting words that continually haunted me in my nightmares ever since._

_"When I get back, I may bring my gun in, and I may use it….on you or me."_

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I wailed a shrill inhuman wail as I pulled myself from sleep.

It sounded like a "dying animal", as the saying goes.

A chill hit me immediately, and I felt the cold sweat dripping from my skin and falling onto the already soaked bedding.

I wasn't sure of where I was. All that registered was the sound of my screaming, the terror of my father's last words, and that fact that I felt and was completely alone.

Then suddenly I was surrounded. I was encased in what felt like a thousand arms, each one providing its own amount of soothing comfort.

I grasped onto the form that was holding me, knowing nothing else except that it felt right and safe.

Then his voice broke through my cries. "Bella, it's okay. I'm here."

**EPOV**

I was in bed when her tortured scream yanked me from sleep, and I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of it. I panicked, not having a clue of what the fuck was going on. I didn't even think as I ordinarily would have and dashed straight to her room, desperate to rid her of whatever or whoever was making her cry out like that.

I could barely see in the faint glow coming through the blinds of the window, but her piercing scream aided in finding her without difficulty.

I went to her quickly and sat on the bed. Reaching down, I wound my arms around her waist then immediately pulled her into a tight embrace.

I started to rock her gently and rub small circles onto her back as she clung to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and still crying loudly. The way she held on to me suggested that she realized it was me, but I couldn't be certain. So I decided to say something, anything.

"Bella, it's okay. I'm here."

Then the worst and best possible thing happened.

First, she called out my name in an airy strangled voice that damn near broke my heart. She then pulled back and with a delectable force that almost shook me to the core, smashed her mouth on mine.

The instant our lips connected, I was overwhelmed with bewilderment, and I didn't know what to do. My desire for her that I had attempted to keep dormant took hold of me again. And as much as I knew I should have, I couldn't bring myself to break the kiss.

The atmosphere changed in that half a minute that our faces were pressed together.

The waves of anxiety and fear that had been crashing about the room disappeared. And it was suddenly quiet but for the mundane sounds of the clock ticking on the wall and the air blowing through the vent above our heads.

I kept my eyes tightly closed the whole time. A hard line formed in my forehead as I fought with all my strength not to kiss her back.

I lost that battle and fully pressed my lips to hers with an equal amount of force. I was absorbing as much as I could of her sweet mouth before she abruptly ended the kiss and returned her head to the crook of my neck with an exasperated sigh.

Although it had only lasted mere seconds, the kiss left its mark on me. My lips burned for more while my mind teetered on the line between elation and frustration.

I knew we had crossed a boundary, and we were now in dangerous territory that we would most likely not be able to come back from.

The exchange of miniscule physical contact we had just shared was pretty much the single most intimate experience of my life. There had been plenty of women and even the screamers couldn't match the quiet intensity that Bella had just kissed me with.

I knew that as much as I wracked my brain, I would never be able to pin point what brought her to kiss me. Whether she acted out of impulse or overwhelming relief, I was still astounded by her total lack of inhibition, her ability to make me shudder just by putting her lips on mine.

I continued to shush her through gritted teeth and a clenched jaw as I tried to regain my composure.

She eventually calmed, and as I continued to hold her, I asked, "Are you okay?"

She sniffled. "Not really."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I was dreaming about the last night I saw my father before he died." She stopped, sniffled again then took a deep breath. "When my dad drank, he would get…mean. He would laugh a lot and get violent."

I exhaled sharply, knowing the meaning behind her words and already disliking her deceased father. "So he hit you?"

She shook her head against my neck. "Not every time. Only when I tried to talk to him."

My eyes widened.

_Only when she tried to talk to him?…Was that supposed to make it all right?!_

"It's not okay that he hit you, Bella." I told her quietly.

She took in my words passively and continued, "He threatened me with his gun before he left the house in his truck. I never saw him again after that night."

_An accident. _I now understood what she meant when she had said it previously.

I was angry. Angry at the mother fucker for treating her so horribly and then threatening her life when she had done nothing to deserve it. The fact that he was dead almost made me relieved because I would have been tempted to track him down and kill him myself.

I took a deep breath in an attempt to subdue my growing animosity.

She pulled away slightly, so that my hands were no longer wrapped around her waist but were barely resting on it.

We were face to face now. Lines of tears glistened on her face in the pale light, and I brushed them off with my thumb.

"Bella, why don't you take one of the Valiums Dr. Honaker prescribed for you?" I asked, knowing it would be the best way to alleviate her stress.

Her expression turned frightened, and I immediately became concerned.

"I don't like being drugged."

"It'll help you sleep." I said gently, trying to reason with her. But then something she had just said struck me, and I was suddenly attacked by curiosity. Her aversion to anything to do with doctors and meds was obvious, but I had never had the gull to ask why.

"Can I ask you something?"

She eyed me warily. "Okay."

"Why don't you like doctors and medications?"

She diverted her attention down to her lap. "I had to talk to doctors after my dad died. I told them about the abuse and all the drinking. Then they asked if he ever…assaulted me, and I told them he hadn't. But they checked me anyway."

She was becoming visibly uneasy. Her breathing quickened and fresh tears were beginning to form. I could feel my own throat burn as I was consumed with sympathy for her. Never had I met somebody who had been through so much yet was still managing to endure. After what she had just shared with me, I didn't blame her for not liking doctors and for not wanting to take the medications; Too many memories were probably dragged up.

I lowered my head closer to hers, willing her to look up at me. "I understand." I whispered, dropping the issue of the Valium and inadvertently saving her from becoming more upset.

She nodded, giving me a small smile, and said, "Thanks."

I calculated my next words carefully. I needed to convey that I would be there for her, but I also didn't want to scare her.

I looked into her eyes and nervously asked, "Are you gonna be okay? Or do you need me to stay? Because I'll sit in this room all night if you ask me to."

She didn't answer at first but only looked back at me in stunned silence. Then her lips gradually turned up into a light clumsy smile.

"Um," she started, "that's okay, Edward. I should be all right now. Nightmares usually only come once a night." She shrugged.

Her words were not going to ease my worry, and I prepared myself for a restless night.

I assured her once again that I would come back if she needed me, then left the room, feeling like I was walking out of a dream.

The shock of the chaste kiss almost made me think I had imagined it. But I knew it was real, and I knew it was very wrong.

The feelings that I was forming for Bella were entirely improper. My job was to protect her and provide her with a place to stay. I was not supposed to fall for her. But as much as I would try to fight it, I knew my feelings for her were solidified the moment her lips touched mine.

I walked to my bedroom reluctantly as I was now conflicted with wanting to stay so she'd feel safe, and just simply wanting to stay to be near her.

I laid awake in my bed, dreading the next day that was going to be equally challenging. I would be spending the day at the crime scene and away from Bella.

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The crime scene left us with virtually nothing to work with. The crime lab found no unidentifiable prints (indicating gloves were most likely used), no questionable fibers or hairs, and all the blood in the room matched the DNA of the victim.

It was the first day Newton and I had been allowed to walk the scene thoroughly, but we worried it wouldn't help much. All the neighbors had been checked out and had alibis, and the family could not come up with any enemies or even a jilted lover.

Lauren Mallory appeared to be a good girl.

We walked into the bedroom and noticed the spot where Lauren Mallory's body had laid. She, of course, was no longer there and a large brownish stain from the blood pool was left in her place.

The armoire where I had found Bella grabbed my attention next, and my breath hitched as overlapping memories flooded my mind. Most of them featured Bella's various panicked expressions as she sat inside.

"Cullen." I heard Newton call behind me.

I blinked, pushing her face from my thoughts so I could focus on the job. "Yeah."

"You gonna get to work anytime soon?" He mocked.

_Fuck you, prick._

"I am working, Newton. What the hell are you doing?"

"I call it a walk-through. You know, part of the job."

I turned to him, my foot itching to meet with his balls in an aggressive fashion.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Then let's get walking, rookie."

We started in the living room, where Newton bagged a receipt that he found on an end table that was dated the presumed day of the murder.

"So Cullen, you got the Swan girl staying with you, I hear."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, what about it?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. She's cute. I was just wondering what your personal policy is on mixing business with pleasure."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Newton, I'm only going to say this once: Nothing like that is going on, and shut the fuck up about it. Got that?"

He put his hands up as if to signal his surrender and laughed. "Hey man, your touchiness speaks volumes, but don't worry. I won't say shit about it anymore."

I nodded, satisfied that he would at least keep his mouth shut and proceeded to the small kitchen.

An empty glass with a white ring at the bottom sat on the counter, and I bagged it, knowing it was likely nothing of importance.

Slightly withered daisies and dandelions were in a vase on the windowsill. I glanced at them passively and was about to turn my head when something in the sunlight caught my eye.

I stepped forward, my gaze focused on a particular spot beyond the vase of flowers.

I was looking at the outer windowsill, where a collection of dust had accumulated over time. But the sun shining on it lit up something in the dust, something that could be easily missed by inattentive eyes.

I squinted and leaned over the counter to get a better look.

"That's interesting."

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**Oh, shit! What did he find?! :) Tell me what you think, or just tell me if you liked this chapter!! You know I want to hear from you, no matter how short or long your comment may be! :) So let me hear from all of you!! REVIEW!!**


	6. The Game

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. I don't have a good explanation for the delay. The only thing I can say is I'm kinda stupid and writing is too complicated for my brain sometimes. :-P Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, and PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! Yes, I am begging and I have no shame. :) Thanks so much to those who have added this to their lists! I know who all of you are, and I would love to converse with you through a Review!! **

**Thanks so my beta, AydenMorgen (READ her fic peeps!). And love to my other Twitter Sex Moohahas. You all rock hard! *Fist Pumo* ;)**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or its charactes, but Bedroom Confessions is mine. :)

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_----_

_At the still point of the turning world.  
_

_Neither flesh nor fleshless;  
_

_Neither from nor towards;  
_

_at the still point, there the dance is,  
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_But neither arrest nor movement.  
_~T.S. Eliot

**EPOV**

The man that sat across from Sergeant Banner and myself was a tall lanky man with untrusting eyes and dark hair down to his shoulders.

He was Lauren Mallory's landlord.

The prints from two fingers of his right hand had been lifted from the outer windowsill at Lauren Mallory's apartment, and he now sat before us, fidgeting and suspiciously nervous as we thoroughly questioned him.

"So Mr. Aro, did you know Lauren Mallory very well?" Sergeant Banner asked.

"Not well. She was just a tenant. I didn't even know her on a first name basis," he said.

I watched him as he spoke, trying to read him. I saw guilt in his eyes, but I couldn't confidently say that he was lying at that point.

I held my stare on him, and when he finally looked at me, his reaction could be easily translated. His shifty eyes told me he was afraid and intimidated.

"We need to know why your prints were on that windowsill," I said, pointedly.

He shrugged. "I did some painting on the outer walls two weeks ago. I must have put my hand on there at some point."

I eyed the sergeant, and he looked back at me.

_This guy is talking bullshit._

The smirk on his face indicated that he agreed, and he addressed Mr. Aro again.

"We know those prints have only been there for the past couple days."

"How do you know?" Mr. Aro asked, skeptical.

"It's our job to know," I responded.

It would be clear to anyone with the ability to see that the prints had not been there for two weeks. It was highly unlikely the prints had been there for any more than a week in fact. There was a clear distinction between the prints and the dust around them.

"Just come out with it, Mr. Aro. You were at that window very recently. Now tell us why," Sergeant Banner said.

Since stepping into the room with my superior and the suspicious gangly man, I had remained composed. My entire line of thought had been focused on the job but for the stray fleeting image of Bella that would venture into my mind.

I had been concerned about her since I had left that morning for work. I took a peek into her room through the barely open door and saw her sleeping blissfully, free of anymore nightmares.

Her slightly parted lips as I looked upon her captured my attention, and I was immediately reminded of the kiss we had shared hours before. I could suddenly sense the taste of her on my lips again. It wasn't a distinct taste, but it was Bella, therefore it could rival fine wine.

I could remember her fingers curled around my neck as she kissed me and how it made my entire body shudder. The feelings for her were overriding my logic, and I could think of nothing else the rest of the night except that I wanted to kiss her again…and again… and again.

I tried not to think of these things as we questioned Mr. Aro. I had managed for the better part of the interview to avoid being worried and wondering what she was doing all day without me. But the story the shifty eyed man told next brought Bella to the forefront of my mind, and her safety was called into question.

"Sometimes I do rounds at night if I'm not too tired. You know, to make sure no one's causing trouble or anything like that." He shifted nervously in his seat. "Five days ago at about ten o'clock, I heard some yelling com from Ms. Mallory's apartment. I recognized it as being Ms. Mallory's voice. I walked closer, not sure if I should interfere or just continue with my rounds. But then something was thrown, and I heard glass shatter."

He stopped again and cleared his throat. "I kind of…ran to the window to look inside and see what was happening because I was scared someone could have been hurt. But then the yelling just stopped, and when I looked in, I saw a girl sweeping up the glass off the floor. I didn't know who it was, but I knew it wasn't Ms. Mallory."

"Was it B-- Ms. Swan?" I asked, unable to control my apprehension.

This was no longer about questioning his knowledge or involvement in the case. It had turned into something else for me. He was giving me pieces of the puzzle that Bella had not yet revealed.

Hearing about this mysterious yelling and breaking of glass made my stomach clench as my ever growing list of questions about Bella increased. Who was yelling at whom? Why was something thrown? And why the fuck did this guy wait so long to tell us about it? What was he hiding?

"When I saw you walk out of the apartment with her that day, I recognized her as the girl I saw, so yes."

"But you don't know if the Mallory girl was yelling at Ms. Swan?" Sergeant Banner asked.

"I have no idea who she was yelling at," Mr. Aro responded.

"Did you hear anything that was said?"

"No. I couldn't make anything out."

"And you said this was five days ago?"

"Yes."

A moment of tension filled silence passed as Mr. Aro's eyes anxiously wandered the room. And then the sergeant asked the question that I had been burning to ask.

"Why didn't you come forward with this information sooner, Mr. Aro?"

The man once again commenced his fidgeting, and I glared at him. "I didn't really think it was that big of a deal at first."

"That doesn't answer the question," I said, sternly.

His eyes grew wide at my sudden retort. "Well…I only stopped at the apartment that night in case she needed my help. I didn't want to get blamed for something I didn't do."

Sergeant Banner addressed him again. "After you saw Ms. Swan in the apartment that night, did you see her again or know she was staying with Ms. Mallory?"

"I never saw her again until you guys brought her out of the apartment."

His answer felt too quick, suspect, but just as before, I couldn't be sure that he was lying. All I knew was that I didn't completely trust him.

It would not be an exaggeration to use the word "paranoia" to describe my reaction to his story of Bella and Lauren. Suddenly the very thought Bella alone for any length of time scared me shitless.

This swarthy man had seen her, and as of now, he was the closest thing we had to a suspect. If he had any involvement, he only needed to inquire around town to find out the location of my home where he would discover the only witness.

My concern was validated when as I left the building that night, Sergeant Banner stopped me and promptly reminded me once again to keep Bella close and out of harm's way.

I readily agreed and drew in a heavy breath to stave off the anger as I watched Mr. Aro leave since there was no viable reason to hold him.

The eerie fog was so thick as I drove through town that the cars coming from the opposite direction seemed to appear out of thin air. It felt like driving into nothingness, which perfectly symbolized my current situation.

The investigation was already practically at a standstill with no solid leads, no evidence, and one witness that was too traumatized to talk -- if she knew anything at all, that is.

To matters worse, I was inexplicably enamored with this witness and was wracked with worry for her on a constant basis. The tightness bearing down on my chest refused to ease up even as I got out of the car to pick up dinner for me and Bella at the diner. I was anxious to hurry home, but I figured she would have been too timid to peruse my kitchen for food.

I arrived at the apartment to find Bella sitting on the bed in her room reading one of my crime books with her back propped up on a pillow. She was wearing the same white dress she wore the day I found her in the armoire, which meant she hadn't been too shy to use my washer and dryer. Her creamy white legs were stretched out in front of her and were crossed at the ankles. I grinned as I watched her intently study the book in her hands, admiring her understated yet immense beauty. She didn't have the usual glamour and flash of an attractive woman. There was no bright red lipstick, no black eyeliner, and her hair was not finely groomed. But none of that could hold a candle to Bella's mesmerizing eyes, translucent skin, or the full pink lips that matched her rose colored cheeks.

"You interested in _The Monster of Florence_?" I asked from the doorway.

She shrieked, and the book fell from her hands and onto the floor.

I took a step forward, regretting that I spoke so abruptly and frightened her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Breathlessly, she responded with, "It's ok. Just didn't hear you come in."

I stood silent as the familiar sense of uncertainty filled the room, and I was unsure of what to do next.

I noticed an opportunity to speak again when she leaned down to pick up the book off the floor. "So do you know much about _The Monster of Florence_?"

She eyed the book, which documented the case of one of Florence, Italy's most infamous serial killers. "Not really. I was just curious. Sorry I didn't ask first."

I shrugged. "I don't mind at all. You can do whatever you want while you're here."

Her lips curved into her always beautiful clumsy smile.

"Thanks. I'll remember that."

The trademark smirk that only exposed her two front teeth had me entranced and seemed to close in on me. I drew in a breath, fighting the urge to move closer to her and pointed towards the kitchen. "Um, I brought dinner for us. It's not much. Just some burgers and fries."

"Oh. Thank you, Edward. I really appreciate that." She said, sweetly.

"It's no big deal. I'm going to shower and change clothes real quick. I'll only be a minute, then we'll eat."

She nodded, a smile still on her face, and I went to my bedroom. I removed my gun and holster from my belt and stripped off my work clothes, showered then threw on a pair of sweatpants and a white T-shirt.

With the emergence of Mr. Aro's possible involvement, I wrestled with whether or not to put my gun in the nightstand or keep it closer. I opted to leave the safety off for the night again and slid it into the small drawer.

When I returned to the living room, Bella was seated timidly on the couch, absentmindedly playing with the hem of her dress and watching me as I approached her.

**BPOV**

I was thoroughly convinced that I would never completely absorb the full beauty of Edward. The second he walked into the room, I felt my cheeks flame red.

The yellow orange light the table lamp emitted reflected off of his wet hair, making it shimmer, and his cheeks were flushed from the hot steam of the shower.

I knew there would be awkwardness between us because of the previous night when I had the nightmare. I would never be sure of the sequence of events due to the emotional state I had woken up in, but I knew that I had kissed him.

Even before I was fully aware that he was the source of my immediate comfort, I had been simply elated that I was not alone. I was horrified, grief stricken, relieved, joyful all at the same time. It was a moment when sublime and terrible went hand in hand.

Then he spoke, and I knew it was him. I was suddenly reminded of where I was, and the words of my father were silenced, only to be replaced with the pound of Edward's heartbeat and his breath on my ear as he embraced me.

I could not overcome the overwhelming emotions I was experiencing, and I pulled back to practically accost his mouth with a kiss.

I never saw his face nor his expression, but shock was evident in his response. His lips remained tight, unresponsive, and his hands stilled their movements on my back.

But to my utter amazement, I felt his mouth press into mine right before I pulled away, and I silently beamed with excitement.

I watched him as he walked towards me on the couch, and I could almost hear our similar thoughts as we were both reflecting on the chaste yet torrid kiss we had shared. I knew neither he nor I would mention it, though. My only hope was that he would maybe understand my reason behind kissing him, and I wouldn't have to speak about it at all.

He stopped when he was less than four feet from me, his perfect form towering over me and a smirk on his lips.

_Oh dear…_

"You ready to eat?" he asked softly.

I tore my eyes away from him and clumsily scanned the room. "Sure."

He led the way to the kitchen. I was wearing the white dress again, which always made me slightly uneasy because of the way it hung on my body and exposed more cleavage than I was used to. And more than once when I leaned down to take a bite of my burger, I glimpsed at Edward long enough to see him still his movements and eye my chest as the dress pulled away from my skin. I blushed in embarrassment each time, not knowing exactly how much of my breasts he may have seen.

We ate in considerable silence, the only sounds being our chewing and the occasional chuckle when bits of food fell from one of our mouths and onto the floor. I helped clean up the kitchen when we finished, and then I followed him back to the living room where we sat side by side on the couch.

"What do you want to do now, Bella?" he asked.

I thought for a moment. "I don't know. Uh, do you have any games?"

He raised his eyebrows, and I immediately felt foolish for having suggested something so childish.

He smiled nervously. "Games?"

I nodded sheepishly as he creased his brow.

"I think I have one. I'll go get it."

He moved off of the couch and disappeared into the hall.

_A game, Bella? What the hell were you thinking? _

He came back into the room with his head facing the floor, carrying a box that was familiar to me right away.

_Truth or Dare Jenga_

"Have you played this before?" he asked as he sat back down next to me.

"Yes."

"Is this okay? I mean, we don't have to play it. It's just the only game I have."

I shook my head timidly. "No, it's fine. I don't mind. We can play it."

We moved to the floor and sat across from each other on our knees. He built the tower of blocks, alternating between stacking the small red, green, and wooden planks until it was finished.

"You can go first," he offered.

I took a deep breath and chose a green block, feeling much more comfortable answering a truth than taking a chance with a dare.

"It says, 'What do you like most about the person next to you?'"

_Everything…_

"Um," I began, careful to keep my eyes away from him. "I guess I can't really say for sure. I mean, I don't think I know you that well yet."

My heartbeat was already pounding in my ears, and although I could feel his eyes boring into me, I couldn't look at him for fear that it would somehow grant him access to my thoughts.

"Bella," he suddenly began, quiet and seriously, "part of the rules say that if the other players aren't satisfied with your answer, then you have to come up with something better. And I'm not satisfied with that answer."

I brought my eyes up to meet his and was astonished by his demeanor. He was slightly leaning towards me, as if waiting to hear a secret. His emerald eyes were soft but his eyebrows were knitted together, causing a hard line to form in his forehead.

Just as I had anticipated, looking at him made me feel like he could see into my soul, and I couldn't help but speak honestly.

"I like that…you make me feel safe and the way you look at me like I'm no different from everybody else."

The crease in his forehead disappeared, and his face held an expression of bewilderment. He leaned back on his heels and simply said, "Good answer."

"Your turn," I reminded him as my cheeks felt like they were on fire.

He pulled a green plank and read the words.

"What is something most people don't know about you?" He looked at me. "Probably that I'm adopted."

I was surprised by his revelation and waited to hear more.

"My parents adopted me and my brother and sister when I was four. My brother, Emmett was six, and Alice was two." He stopped and swallowed hard. "Our parents were shot and killed after they were robbed on a street one night in Seattle. It's not…something I usually talk about."

I couldn't help but sense the long established grief in his voice as he spoke about the loss of his parents, and with empathy, I reached my hand around the stack of blocks and found one of his.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

He looked down at our clasped hands and gingerly caressed my knuckles with his thumb.

"Thanks. I have great parents now, though. Their names are Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle's an ER doctor in Seattle."

"Oh," I said, kindly. "And your brother and sister? Where are they?"

"They're in Seattle too. They're both married. Alice is married to my best friend, Jasper, and Emmett's married to Jasper's twin, Rosalie." He lifted his eyes from our hands and back to me. "I'm the only bachelor left in the family."

His comment made me chuckle, and I glanced at our hands as he continued to softly stroke my fingers. My stomach fluttered at the sight, and my whole body felt warm with excitement.

"Maybe you'll meet them someday," he abruptly added.

I jerked my eyes back to his.

_Meet his family?_

I was skeptical of the offer. Simple politeness could have been his main reason to mention it, although, I was admittedly hoping that he had said it because it was something he actually wanted to happen.

Being unsure of his motivation, I answered with, "That would be nice."

"Your turn, Bella," he said, releasing my hand after giving it one final squeeze.

As soon as he pulled his hand away, mine felt unnaturally empty, as if our hands belonged together and were meant to never part.

I quietly huffed and reached for another green block, still lacking the courage to go for a red.

"'Talk about your first kiss'. Well, that's easy. I was twelve. He was fourteen. He pulled me to him and assaulted my mouth. It was disgusting. End of story." I finished with a laugh.

He laughed along with me, but something about it seemed restrained. We were watching each other intently, as though we were reveling in the innocent enjoyment of the moment.

The situation we had found ourselves in days prior melted away in our shared laughter, and we ceased to be 'detective' and 'witness'.

For the time being, we became Edward and Bella, two people getting to know each other over a game of Truth or Dare while sporadically holding hands.

Once it grew quiet again, Edward reached for the tower, but he froze before touching a block.

I looked at him questionably, and he smirked.

He moved again, and my eyes grew wide when I saw that he pulled out a red plank. My breath caught in a mute gasp as he turned it over to read the words.

"Kiss the person to your right."

He blew out a deep breath, which hit my shoulder, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin. He kept his eyes on the block like he was wrestling with a decision.

_Please don't say you pass…_

He looked at me from under his eyelashes and wordlessly accepted the dare by dropping the block and slowly inching his face towards mine.

My lips fell open, and my eyes closed as he moved so close that I could hear his shallow breaths.

A tingle surged through me when I felt his hand gently rest on my bare shoulder. Even before his mouth was on mine, the anticipation caused my heart to beat wildly, and struggled to control my already erratic breathing.

He grazed his lips over my mouth, and I tilted my head slightly in response, silently begging for more. His fingers ghosted over my shoulder and up to my neck, stoking my skin and sending a shiver through my body.

His fingers then curled around my neck and with lightening speed, he pulled me to him and firmly pressed his lips to mine.

I had no hesitation in bringing my hands up to weave in his disarrayed hair. A quiet moan escaped from me when I felt the soft end of his tongue against my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth, allowing our tongues to mingle together.

I heard the tumble of the blocks as he used his other hand to knock over the tower and shove the planks out of his way. He placed his hand on my hip and moved even closer until our bodies were pressed up against each other's.

I clenched my eyes shut tightly as desire was overtaking me, and he tilted his head, deepening the kiss. My lungs were screaming for oxygen, but I didn't care. The feel of his body against mine, coupled with the softness of his hair as it tangled in my fingers was enough to make me crazy.

But the way his lips moved with such longing and passion made every cell come alive and ache for more of him. I melted into his arms as the sounds of our quiet hums and moans filled the room, and we began to pant into each other's mouths.

My grip on his hair tightened, and his fingers dug into my hip, but then with a groan, he suddenly broke the kiss and rested his forehead on mine.

I let my eyes flutter open, and he was looking at me. Although his eyes were filled with lust, the entirety of his expression told me that he was troubled, and I placed my palms on each side of his face.

"What's wrong?" I whispered.

The hand on my hip fisted into the fabric of my dress. "This is complicated, Bella."

I nodded, disheartened. "I know."

He withdrew his hands from my body and gently grabbed mine that were on his face. He brought our hands down to his lap and said, "This…thing between us. It's-- it's not a good idea."

I pouted, and he grinned at me, exhaling sharply.

"Bella, the truth is I would've ended up kissing you whether we had played the game or not, but the fact remains that this isn't a good situation for us."

I understood what he meant, but it didn't extinguish the sadness I felt at the idea of denying our feelings for each other.

_This could complicate the case, jeopardize his career…_

"I understand," I said, already rebelling against the words as soon as they left my mouth. Denying my desire for him would not be an easy task. "So what do we do?"

I expected him to let go of my hands, to tell me we'd just be friends and this could never happen again.

But instead, he gripped my hands tighter and said, "We keep it a secret."

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	7. The Revelation

**A/N: I hope you enjoy the update! Words fail to express how much love I have for all of you who read this story! As I've said, I have each of your names in my inbox, and I really appreciate your support! I love conversing with those that have reviewed, & I ask that those that haven't PLEASE PLEASE leave one for me! I would to hear from you and talk with you!! :)**

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Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but the storyline is mine.

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_"No news is better news."_

_~Me_

**BPOV**

I had another terrible dream that night after we played the game, and when Edward came to my room at the sound of my screams, he didn't pull me up to sit with him as he had done previously. Rather, he laid down beside and wrapped his arms around me, planting compassionate kisses on my cheeks as he brushed my tears away with his thumb.

Nothing could keep the nightmares away, but because of the manner in which he hugged me, I would be forever amazed at the way he could instantly soothe me and the way he seemed to change into some kind of mystical being that had the ability to possess three or four arms at once.

His delicate whispers that I barely understood were like a lullaby, and my cries silenced. I found a place to rest my head against his chest, and I drifted off to sleep with a smile as I felt his hand rubbing circles on my back.

I awoke during the night blanketed in the pale light of the moon coming through the window. I was in Edward's arms, our bodies a contorted tangle of limbs that made it difficult to tell where one of us ended and the other began. I felt the softness of the white T-shirt that covered his firm chest against my ear, and I sighed blissfully.

I nuzzled into him, further losing myself in the vastness of the tranquility he exuded. My movements must have roused him awake, and his hands that were pressing into the small of my back clutched at the fabric of my dress.

He yawned heavily, his chest heaving against my ear, and I chuckled quietly.

"Good morning," he said, sleepily.

"Is it morning already?" I asked.

He shrugged around me and playfully said, "I don't know. You can go back to sleep if you want."

My hair stirred as his breath blew on it, and my eyes fell closed again.

"I'm not tired anymore."

"Me neither. Do you need anything?"

_Just you…_

"No," I replied softly.

I felt another breath against my hair as he whispered, "Are you okay, Bella?"

I nodded my head against him while keeping my eyes closed.

"Are you sure?"

I smiled. "I'm fine. I'm always fine when you hold me," I said honestly.

He squeezed me tighter and kissed the top of my head. "Do you want to talk about this one?"

I stilled, and my eyes flew open as his question brought forth grainy images that I would have rather forgotten.

"I don't know if I can, Edward."

I recalled with terror that Lauren had made an appearance in my dream that night.

_Her blonde, sun-kissed hair filled my vision as I watched her storm by me towards the bedroom one night while I stood in the kitchen of her apartment. Some unknown predicament was troubling her. It was written in her expression and the way she pounded her feet on the floor as she walked._

_I watched in my dream as she pulled out her phone once she reached the room, not bothering to close the door. Her sudden raised voice startled me, and I jumped at the sound as she spoke into the phone._

"_Fuck you! You promised me ten percent!" I heard her say, followed by a moment of silence as the person on the other line spoke._

_Her voice rang out again. "Well, I'm not doing your dirty work anymore if you're going to cheat me out of my cut!"_

_She flipped the phone closed then stood stoic before abruptly reaching for an empty glass that sat upon the dresser. Without even a glance, she threw the glass out of the room, and it crashed to the floor of the kitchen, shattering into small pieces._

It was then that I cried out and awoke from the dream, the sound of breaking glass along with Lauren's shouting reverberating in my ears.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me if it's too difficult," Edward said gently, pulling me out of my reverie.

He was rubbing my back again, and as he did so, I became aware that I was visibly anxious. I was shaky again, and the pound of my heart sounded loudly in my ears. I drew in deep breaths, desperately attempting to calm myself so I could speak again.

"I saw Lauren," I said in a mangled whisper.

His hands stopped moving, and his muscles tensed. "Oh."

Tension loomed over us as neither he nor I knew what to say next. I trusted that he wouldn't press me for more details, but I felt it necessary to clarify one thing.

"It wasn't the night…she…died."

He sighed and once again lovingly stoked my back. "That's alright, Bella. You don't have to say any more."

I shook my head, sadly. "I want to be able to tell you. I really do. I wish I understood why it's so hard to talk about it."

He pulled back from our embrace and looked down at me. "But you do know why. It was too much for your mind to handle. We will all be patient with you. I promise you that."

"What if it never happens? What if I never remember?" I asked as I gazed at his barely lit features.

He grinned compassionately at me. "It doesn't matter. I care about you a lot, Bella. Do you know that?" His voice was so soft that I almost melted at the sound of it.

"Yes," I answered, shakily.

"I'm just happy to be here with you. You don't have to talk about her when we're in this room."

The faint light made it impossible to make out the entirety of his face, but the outline of his pink lips took form, and I had to hold myself back from kissing them.

"I'm happy to be here with you too," I whispered.

I held my gaze on his mouth as I watched its corners turn up in a smirk that made my breath hitch. The electricity was palpable between us as we laid silent, looking at each other.

In a movement so swift that I had little time to process it, he lifted his hand to my mouth to trace the outline of my lips with his fingertip. I let my eyes flutter closed, savoring the feel of his finger gliding over my skin. His hand was trembling as it moved, and I felt his cool breath wash over my face.

But then his hand was gone, and suddenly he captured my mouth in a fervent kiss. I moved my hands from between us and twined my fingers in his hair. I then felt myself grasped by the waist as he pulled me impossibly closer to him.

Warmth radiated through my body as he turned slightly to hover over me, and I moaned when I felt the weight of him on my chest.

The immense passion behind the kiss showcased itself in our desperate tugs and pulls at each other and the way we started to pant hot breaths into each other's mouth.

All ability to form rational thought left me when one of his hands that was on my waist slowly and tentatively slid up my torso. I stopped moving my lips and gasped as his hand stilled over my breast.

He groaned as he applied delicate pressure, making my nipple harden under his touch, and he pulled his face away from mine to kiss the length of my neck. His hand moved with restrained desperation as he gently massaged my breast, and my grasp on his hair tightened.

The warmth in my body was now turning to fire and was becoming localized to the spot between my legs. My breaths were almost coming out in whimpers as my desire for more of him felt unbearable.

He continued to kiss and suck at the skin of my neck, and with each pass of his lips, I sensed his body move over mine even more until I could feel his hard bulge through his sweatpants pressing into my thigh.

I shifted under him, allowing him to fully place his hips between my legs, and in that instant, we both froze, astonished by our mutual boldness. I didn't want to stop, and I was terrified that he would start to feel regret and leave me. I couldn't let that happen.

"_I need you, I want you…" _my mind screamed at him.

I ducked my head to press my lips on his, urging him to continue.

He responded with a heavy sigh and once again returned his hand to my breast, caressing and teasing my hard nipple with his thumb.

I arched my back, needed to feel his hardness pressed against me further.

"Fuck," he breathed into my mouth in response to the sudden friction.

Our mouths stayed locked together as we moaned and began to move against each other in unison, our movements urgent and firm.

Moisture was seeping between my legs as he rolled his hips into me, and I allowed my hands to leave his hair to explore his exquisite back while his hand alternated between kneading my breast and clutching my waist. I brought my legs up to wrap around him, gripping him to me, and a low guttural groan escaped his lips as he ground against me harder.

Our torrid encounter ended when a loud ring erupted through the apartment. We both jumped, and Edward practically leapt off of the bed as if the ring of the telephone meant we had somehow been caught.

"I'll be right back," he said quickly then disappeared from the room.

My whole body had responded wildly the entire time he was on top of me, and now that he was gone, I struggled to regain composure. I breathed in deeply and reached for the hem of my dress to yank it down, knowing that my white underwear had become slightly exposed. My head fell back against the pillow, and a contented smile crept to my lips.

The whole evening felt surreal. The relationship I was forming with Edward was moving fast, and I basked in the memories of him telling me he wanted me, just as I wanted him. And while I would never understand his attraction to me, neither my mind nor my body could manage to stay away from him.

_He's my angel…_

"Bella," I suddenly heard him say from the doorway, "I have to go to work. I didn't realize that it's already six in the morning, and my sergeant just called to tell me that he wants to speak with me."

I propped myself up on my elbows. "Oh. Okay. I'll just…see you later then."

He walked over to me, fading into the darkness when he stepped out of the moonlight. He reappeared by my side and sat on the edge of the bed next to me.

"I want you to know something." He stopped speaking and touched my cheek gingerly. "You can trust me, and I won't let anything happen to you. I just want to know everything there is to know about you. I really hope you understand that you can tell me anything."

I sighed and lovingly pressed my cheek into his palm. "I do trust you, Edward. You're the only person I feel like I can trust in this whole damn world. All I need is some time to sort things out."

I was pleading with him to understand the reason behind my silence. If my mind would only allow me to recall the recent events that led to Lauren's death without experiencing a breakdown, there would be no issue sharing them with Edward.

"You already know that I would never force you to talk. Like I said, I just want to know you, Bella."

He leaned down to kiss me softly on the lips and whispered "I'll be back soon" against my mouth before getting up to exit the room, leaving me more dead than alive.

This gorgeous, compassionate, sexy, twenty-four year old man wanted me, and I fell back onto the bed listlessly as I relished in the thought. There had only been one other guy before him that I experienced any kind of closeness with, and the few times we were intimate it felt clumsy and rushed, immature. Until Edward, I had never felt an explosion of pleasure at the simple touch of someone's hand.

My body still held the remnants of what had just taken place. My cheeks were flushed, my hair was wild, and I continued to feel the frustrating heat exuding from between my legs. I rolled over on the bed, laying my head on the pillow that had been Edward's for the night and smiled as I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

**EPOV**

_What the fuck just happened?_

I walked away from the guest room that morning as if in a trance. That evening, I had made the decision to kiss Bella when I read the dare inscribed on the block, and I wasn't lying when I told her that I would've ended up kissing her regardless if the words instructed me to or not. As inappropriate as I knew the relationship was, the pull I felt to her outweighed that. The point at which I resolved to not care about the consequences any longer happened when we laughed together. First while we were eating and then while we played the game.

The attraction was no longer inexplicable. Bella was kind, funny, and she was a fighter. I could talk to her with ease and could share things with her that I rarely even shared with close friends.

When she awoke from her nightmare and ultimately told me that she dreamt about Lauren, I did not expect her to talk about it. I didn't expect her to remember any more details of the night of the murder.

And I absolutely did not expect to become so crazy with lust that I would end up grinding my hard dick against her.

The ring of telephone only helped to partially relieve me. I was lost in passion as I moved on top of Bella, no longer having control of my actions. I groped the ample swell of her breast and felt her hard nipple and the heat of her arousal as she writhed against me. I was in agony the whole time, knowing the only things keeping us from going further were the thin white cotton panties and flimsy sweatpants that acted as barriers between us.

I truly wanted Bella, but I could not walk away from her without reiterating my desire to know her. I wanted to know about her life, what made her happy and sad, what music she enjoyed, and which movies she could watch over and over. I knew deep down that she was not just a girl but a woman who understood life and even death in a way that most people her age couldn't.

I left her room still in agony, my erection throbbing in my pants, begging for attention. I had no time, however, to placate the problem, and I hurriedly dressed for work. I pulled my gun from the drawer in my nightstand, making certain that the safety was still off and clipped it into its holster on my belt.

As I stepped out of the apartment, I looked back with dismay at the room where Bella was sleeping. I was aching to stay with her, but out of mere necessity, I left her alone once again.

I was admittedly nervous as I arrived at the station that morning, an odd and disturbing sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. Sergeant Banner did not tell me what he intended to talk to me about, so I couldn't help but assume it would be bad news.

I felt the eyes of Mike Newton boring into me when I entered the building, and I fought the urge to flip my middle finger at him. I walked past him and with uncoordinated movements triggered by anxiety; I made it to the office of Sergeant Banner.

He had a file in front of him on his desk and was flipping through the loose papers inside. There weren't many, so I felt confident that it had nothing to do with the Mallory case.

I cleared my throat from the doorway. "Did you need to speak with me, sir?"

He looked up as I pushed the door open.

"Yeah, Cullen. Come in. Close the door behind you."

I complied, closed the door, and took a seat in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

"More a complication really." He didn't elaborate at that point. "How's Ms. Swan doing?"

I was nervous immediately, and my hands started to shake and grow moist. "She's fine, sir. Safe."

"I'm thinking that we may need to schedule another meeting with Dr. Honaker soon for her."

"All right. I'll arrange it and let her know," I offered in a controlled voice.

He stopped and once again looked at the papers in front of him.

"Cullen, we just got some information from Phoenix about Ms. Swan."

I unconsciously leaned forward in my seat, my brow creased with deep curiosity. "And what'd you find out?"

"It may be nothing of importance to this case, but it changes things a bit."

I waited for him to finish, desperately attempting to conceal my apprehension.

"The problem is she's killed before."

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**STOP!! DON'T Panic! =) Everything will be explained and there is a reason for everything that happens in this story. LOL If you need me to ease your mind, leave a review and I'll answer any questions I can without giving too much away! :) BUT please leave a review anyway, and let me know how I'm doing and if you liked this or hated this! I respond to all reviews! *hugs***


	8. The Explanation

**A/N: This is a crazy chapter...or it was just crazy to write. lol Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope to hear from everyone who is willing to leave a review! Thanks as always to everyone who favorites/alerts/reviews this story. I love all of you guys and you're all fucking awesome!! :) I had a sub beta this time because I'm short on time due to my daughter being sick, so many thanks so Maggieloo402!! And of course love to my regular beta AydenMorgen. Read both of these ladies fics -- they are brilliant! I love all my other Twitter Sex Moohahas!**

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Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but BC is mine. :)

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****EPOV**

The silence of the office rang in my ears. I sat stoic, oblivious, and unmoving as Sergeant Banner droned on in a disembodied voice that seemed to be set on slow motion. The twistedness of the last sentence I managed to hear him say made the color drain from my face and caused my eyes to grow moist. I tried to contain myself, nodding my head absentmindedly, as if his news had not affected me.

All the while, the same words looped in my mind.

"…_she's killed before."_

"…_she's killed before."_

_She's killed before!?_

My first instinct was that this was wrong, that he had somehow been faxed the incorrect paperwork, and he needed me to inform him of the mistake.

But as he continued, my consciousness picked up on the words he spoke in snatches, and I heard such things as, "Charlie Swan", "drunk", and ".38 Special". Words which indicated that this was no mistake.

I wanted to bury my head. I wanted a moment to allow it all to sink in. A string of profanities was on the tip of my tongue, attempting to propel itself from my mouth, but I held it back as I was shackled by the responsibilities of the job.

Unable to fully comprehend all that had been said since stepping into that office, I stopped him and asked him to repeat the story he had just told.

As Sergeant Banner began, I saw Bella standing in her father's kitchen four years earlier…

**BPOV -- Age 15 -- Four years ago**

"When I get back, I may bring my gun in, and I may use it…on you or me."

I stood in the kitchen, staring at an invisible spot on the floor after he departed, then I went to my room, defeated.

Three hours quickly went by, and I began to hope that he would not return, that maybe he would sleep it off somewhere and come back once he was sober.

I hoped in vain.

As I lay in bed, filled with Aspirin to soothe my throbbing head, I heard the front door creak loudly.

"Bella, where the fuck are you, girl!?" his voice rang out.

I cringed and held back a shriek as I buried my head in terror. The next few minutes dragged endlessly while memories of my short life played on my inner eye lids.

_The first and only party I'd ever thrown at ten years old._

_My Gran's funeral._

_The bumps and bruises I'd had to endure and the way I had been masquerading as the living dead all my years, making me a lover of solitude._

As I remembered these harsh events, my father's next words pierced my ears.

"I brought my damn gun in! Where you at!?"

_Oh God…_

My eyes flew open and flooded with tears. Every muscle tensed as I laid in wait, preparing to die.

I heard my bedroom door open next, and my pulse skyrocketed when his maniacal laughter filled the room.

"Look at me, Bells." I kept my head hidden. "Look at me damn it!!"

I whimpered and uncovered my face. With shaky movements, I looked up at him, and my eyes fell upon his .38 pistol wagging clumsily in the air. The sight of it made me freeze, and it suddenly became the only thing that existed in the universe. I began to cry quietly.

"Let me tell you something, Bella," he began, chuckling. "Your mother's been fucking Phil for the past year. But I've got news for both of you. I've been fucking around too, and for a lot longer than a year."

That he was telling me this and not sharing it with my mother showed his drunken disequilibrium well. I was numb to all my parents' problems as I hardly even considered them married by that point. Even so, the outrageousness of what he had just said hit me hard. I had little time to reflect on it, though, before he started speaking again.

"So your mom's done with me. Doesn't give a shit about you either, but I've still got a problem 'cause I've got you to worry about."

He held the gun up as if putting it on display, and a devilish smile overtook his face.

"This is gonna fix that problem."

Panic transformed my features and twisted my expression. I sat up as he came close, his form blurred as tears clouded my vision.

"Please, Dad. Don't…" I begged in a barely audible gasp.

I cried out when he lunged at me with an uncoordinated shuffle of his feet, but I managed to scurry out of the way, falling to the floor.

He mistakenly fired the pistol when he landed on the bed, and a single bullet pierced the wall over his head. I screamed and covered my ears in reaction to the thundering sound, not knowing at that time which path the bullet would take.

"Fuck!" he yelled before pulling himself up and turning to me.

I cowered on the floor, clambering away from him on the heels of my hands.

"No, Dad!" I cried out.

He came at me again but tripped on my feet in his stupor, which caused him to practically fall on top of me. I could see the vein in his neck pulsating as I continued to fight my way to my feet.

It was useless, though. I was pinned to the floor, crushed by the weight of him, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before he would raise the gun to my head and paint the walls with blood.

I began to undergo what is unfondly known as an 'out of body experience', overcome with the horror of what was happening to me.

When he brought the gun up to be level with my eyes, I saw myself reach for it, taking hold of it in my hand in a desperate attempt to gain control. A struggle ensued while rage, fear, and anguish surged between us.

I began to push the gun away, holding the barrel with one hand and his wrist with the other. With tears still falling, I could hear myself screaming, which somehow gave me more power. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, and I was astonished by my new found strength and my singleness of purpose as I fought for my life.

The end of the fight came as suddenly as it had begun when a shot rang out, and my father's still body collapsed on top of me.

I would never be sure of how it happened, but most likely he had been shot when I turned his wrist, causing his finger to push against the trigger, sending the bullet into his chest.

I was unaware, at first, of which one of us had been hit, and I froze in a way that mirrored my dad's lifeless body.

I continued to feel tears slide down my cheeks as I laid on the floor, the weight of my father constricting my lungs, making my cries come out in mangled sobs.

"Dad?" I quietly choked out.

He didn't respond.

I began to feel warmth expanding over my chest, and I glanced down to see his blood seeping through my white shirt.

It was then that I knew my father was dead.

**EPOV -- Back to present**

I drove home that evening without my seatbelt on; not because I'd forgotten it but because I frankly didn't give a shit. The story I'd been told knocked me on my ass, and suddenly I found myself trying to remember what streets to turn onto.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't manage to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Bella had killed her father in self defense and had not been prosecuted for it, yet I couldn't help but feel somewhat angry towards her.

She knew I wanted to know everything about her, and she had spoken about her father on more than one occasion. So why didn't she share the details of his death?

Most would assume that she avoided the subject because she was hiding something, but her evasiveness didn't confirm the supposition of guilt.

Rather, I chose to believe that it was either too painful to talk about or she simply didn't trust me yet. The thought of the latter being the reason hurt like hell.

I tried my best to congregate the jumbled thoughts in my head in order to find some semblance of clarity as I parked my Volvo in front of the apartment, but it was no use.

I felt catatonic and numb while I listlessly watched lights trade places in neighboring apartments while mine remained dark.

_She must be in the bedroom._

I exited the car, my eyes fixed on the ground and my shadowy silhouette that was cast by the street lamps. I could not decide on any words to say to her as no sufficient words would come to mind. The pointedly different emotions of bewilderment, hurt, and anger were tearing me apart, causing my expression to be indecipherable.

When I entered the apartment, my eyes immediately looked to the end of the hall towards Bella's room. Her door was slightly open as usual, and the room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the small table lamp.

I didn't know whether to stay put or go to her. I didn't even stop to analyze it, and in a manner that resembled a broken hearted lover, I wearily walked to her room.

She was seated on the bed in the same way she had been the night before: white dress, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, back propped up on a pillow, and a book in hand.

I froze in the doorway, but she didn't look up. After a moment, I knocked lightly on the doorframe, and she raised her head.

Our eyes found each other's, and I abruptly lost my breath, feeling the tension in my body reach a new heightened level when her eyes acknowledged my presence.

"Oh, hey, Edward. I didn't hear you come in, like always," she said, lighthearted.

I opened my mouth uselessly but didn't respond.

"Are you okay?" she asked, curiously.

More silence. Her expression was becoming concerned as her lips turned into a pout, and I knew I had to say something.

I drew in a deep breath. "Uh, Sergeant Banner said we could go back to the apartment tomorrow to get your things. The, um, crime scene's been released, so…" I trailed off.

Clearly skeptical of my demeanor, she tentatively said, "Okay. Fine. That'd be great."

I simply nodded and tore my eyes away from hers.

She set the book down beside her and stood from the bed to slowly approach me.

"Edward, look at me."

I kept my eyes to the floor.

"Please?" her soft voice said.

I knew that if I looked at her, I would be unable to control my tongue, and the unspeakable words and questions would spill from my mouth. But I looked at her anyway, since it was futile to try to deny her plea.

Her face was inches from mine, worry evident in her eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" she inquired.

I struggled to keep my voice controlled as I answered. "Bella, we got some information today from Phoenix…about your father's death."

Her eyes dropped in an instant, and she took a step back. "My father's death?" she whispered, stunned.

I nodded sadly. "Yeah, I know what happened to him."

Tears began to fill her eyes, threatening to spill over, and she bit her lip firmly while shaking her head. "So, what do you want me to say, Edward?" she said, defeated. "You know what I did and now, I guess, you hate me for it."

I furrowed my brow, astonished by her assumption that I would ever hate her for defending herself.

"It wasn't your fault. You _had_ to kill him, Bella, or he would've killed you. How could I hate you for that?"

She shook her head again in confusion. "Then why were you so distant when you came in? I don't understand."

"Because I'm hurt," I answered without thinking.

"I don't know what that means, Edward," she retorted, frustrated.

"I told you I wanted to know you, that you could trust me, but you still kept this from me, and that hurts."

She looked at me incredulously. "I don't tell anyone about what happened. I can't. It's the worst thing that's ever happened to me, and I don't want to relive it again!"

Her tears started to fall, and my heart broke for her. Adding to my already conflicting emotions, desire started to burn in me. I still wanted Bella more than anyone. My ache for her was silent but powerful, like flowers yearning for the sun.

I moved closer and reached for her as she tried to turn away. I didn't allow it, though, and placed my palms on each side of her face, urging her to look at me. She continued to shy away from my intent gaze, backing up until she was a few feet from the wall behind her.

"Bella, you're not listening to me." I brought a hand down to wrap around her waist. "I don't want you to relive it again. I want you to trust me and believe that I won't ever hurt you. I want so fucking badly to learn everything about you. But right now, I feel like I don't know you at all, and that kills me."

That was the moment she finally returned my stare and lifted her brown eyes to meet mine. Tears still moistened them, but they danced with just as much passion as mine did. She snaked her arms around my neck and pulled me closer as I tightened my grip on her waist while keeping one hand on her cheek.

"You're wrong, Edward," she began in a whisper as we inched closer. "You know me better than anyone in my entire life has, you look at me in a way that I've never been looked at before, and I trust you more than I've ever trusted anybody."

I couldn't contain myself any longer, and I smashed my mouth on hers. She responded with an equal amount of force, pulling my face impossibly closer. I nipped at her bottom lip as we stepped backward until her back was pressed against the wall.

I savored the taste of her mouth, knowing it was a taste that would stay with me forever. Her lips had quickly become the only lips I would ever want, and I groaned in despair at the thought of ever being without them.

That I could possibly lose her at a second's notice only made my want for her that much greater. I found myself roughly pushing Bella against the wall, eliciting desirous moans from her, and she fervently pulled and tugged at my hair.

Our torrid kisses against that wall were filled with longing and desperation, and I knew that I could not hold back from unleashing my eagerness and craving for her. I needed to be with her.

I removed the hand from her cheek and wound my arm around her waist, using both hands to grip her to me. As if she could read my mind, she lifted her leg and hitched it around my hip. I clutched at her thigh, fisting the fabric of her dress in my hand, and pressed my throbbing erection against the heat of her arousal.

Gently, I broke the kiss and pulled back to look at her. My eyes, crazy with lust, bore into hers as I wordlessly asked for permission to continue.

She didn't say anything. I could read her response in the way she subtly writhed against me and the way her lips turned up into an inviting smirk.

The exchange only lasted seconds, but it was all the affirmation I needed, and with swift movements, I dropped her leg and grabbed at her panties to pull them down and off her body. Her hands moved urgently as she unbuttoned my shirt then blindly threw it aside. I leaned back and unclipped the holster that housed my firearm from my belt and tossed it to the floor.

Placing my palms flat against the wall, I gazed at her as she made quick work of my pants. She never looked down, finding her way with her fingers. Only once did she crease her brow in frustration when something snagged, but she kept her eyes locked on mine the entire time.

Anticipation was swelling in me, my heart pounding and my breathing becoming increasingly rapid with every click of the zipper. As soon as she had unbuckled me completely, she yanked both my boxers and pants down to my ankles, allowing my agony to break free of its cage.

With no hesitation, I picked her up, gripping her ass in my hands as she made a vice with her legs around my hips. I thrust inside of her, and the instant we were joined, loud groans escaped our lips, and I felt her tight walls clench around me. I kept my movements restrained but still pounded into her, pressing her against the wall as she panted wildly and threw her head back.

Neither of us spoke the whole time. We exchanged our intense feelings for one another by holding an ardent stare and planting chaste kisses on each other's lips and neck.

The way she suddenly tangled her fingers into my hair and arched her back indicated that her release was close, and she let out a series of moans as her walls clamped down on me, making my eyes fall closed and my thrusts become more urgent. As she came down from her orgasm, she buried her face in my neck as I rolled my hips one final time in a frantic, hard thrust, exploding into her with a guttural groan.

Weak and exhausted, I held her there once I stilled my movements. The power of our love making was enough to bring me to the brink of collapse. When my breathing finally steadied, I pressed my forehead into her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked meekly.

I turned my head to softly kiss the skin of her neck. "Yeah, I'll be all right."

"Please don't ever leave me, Edward."

My eyes opened at her words, and I leaned back to look at her compassionately.

"I'm not going anywhere."

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I leaned up against the brick wall outside the station the next afternoon, still stunned by what had taken place the evening before. Another secret that haunted Bella had been revealed, and in the midst of my chaotic emotions about it, my attraction and yearning for her had overcome it all.

The way in which we made love was unlike anything I'd ever experienced, and I knew that all my previous encounters had been anticlimactic in comparison.

I sighed heavily, closed my eyes, and became lost in my thoughts as I recalled the way Bella felt: warm, uninhibited, light as a feather…

"Are you Detective Cullen?"

My eyes snapped open at the sudden voice. I looked to my right and saw a young woman standing next to me. Her mousy brown hair hung limply past her shoulders, and her green eyes were anxious, almost fearful.

"Yes, that's me. And you are?"

"I'm Jessica. Jessica Stanley."

She stopped speaking, and I eyed her quizzically.

"How can I help you, Ms. Stanley?"

She peeked around the area nervously, as if making sure the coast was clear and took a step forward.

"I have some information…about Lauren Mallory."

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**Oh, shit! I've added J. Stanley to the mix! :) What does she know?? lol I really need some feedback on this one due to this being my first full fledged lemon. I held back a bit because I didn't want to get too graphic, but I really hope you liked it! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW......because I love you. hehe ;) --Andy**


	9. The Reappearance

**A/N: I'm sorry I was a couple days late on this chapter. :( I hate making you guys wait, but I had some writer's block that I did my best to get through so I could get this to you quickly. You all mean so much to me, and I wish I could express that more adequately than just saying 'Thanks', but I really do appreciate you guys, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I love you all so very much!!**

**As always, please take the time out to live a quick review so I can talk with you and answer any questions you may have! I love knowing how you are liking the story. :)**

**Special thanks to KatieTV for recc'ing this fic! Please read her fic -- My Indentured Love !!!**

Thanks to all that I talk to you on Twitter espcially the h00rs and the Sex Moohahas! Join me on **Twitter - AndMCope **- And I'd love to talk with you!! The link for my twitter is on my Profile too. :) AydenMorgan, my wonderful beta, you ease my mind with every encouraging word and correction you make. haha Love you!

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**EPOV**

"I have some information…about Lauren Mallory."

I pushed myself away from the wall in order to face Jessica Stanley, stricken by her words the instant I heard them. I stood in front of her, and although my demeanor displayed tension, the statement she had just made managed to bring a hint of hope for what was already considered an unsolvable case.

She was possibly the break we'd been looking for.

…_And maybe Bella can finally be safe._

"Were you a friend of Lauren's?" I asked, not recognizing her as one of the people that had already been interviewed concerning the case.

"No," she answered, nervously.

Slightly confused, I furrowed my brow. "Well, did you know her very well?"

She shook her head and looked at the ground. "I only knew _of her_."

There was something amiss about Jessica's answers. From all appearances, Lauren was a well-liked and well-known young woman around Forks. "Knowing of her" didn't necessarily suggest anything of significance.

"But everyone in Forks knew of Lauren. It's a small town. So what useful information would you have for us?"

Suddenly an additional unease crossed her expression, and she glanced around the area, like a person who was in fear of being watched.

"I don't live in Forks."

My arms fell to my sides. I looked at her, no longer skeptical but interested and increasingly confused.

"Okay. So where are you from?"

"Seattle," she answered.

I raised an eyebrow at her questionably. "Lauren was known in Seattle?"

"Yes. So if you want to know what happened to her, look in Seattle," she stated tentatively.

This girl had a story to tell, but I knew she couldn't continue it until we were inside the station.

I stepped closer and placed my hand casually on her shoulder. "I'll need you to finish this inside, so we can get it on record."

Her expression turned grim, fear evident in her eyes. I brought my hand down and curiously watched as her face fell and she began to shift anxiously, as if she were perusing her mind for something to say.

"I can't. I just came to tell you that the answer is in Seattle." She leaned in closer. "There's certain people that can't know I came here."

With that, she withdrew and turned away, resolved to no longer speak about Lauren and prepared to leave.

_I need her to fucking talk!_

"Wait," I called out.

She stopped and hesitantly looked back at me.

"Just give me ten minutes. You can remain anonymous, I swear. We just need some names." I tried to convince her.

She fixed her attention on the ground as she considered my request. She kept her body angled to the parking lot, but looked at me and said, "No one will know I spoke to you?"

"No one," I assured her.

**BPOV**

Something was wrong. I could feel it. Lines of worry were etched into Edward's forehead when he walked into the apartment that evening, and I immediately became concerned.

My first thought was that, although he had held me in his arms the entire night after we made love, he was now experiencing the regret and guilt I so greatly feared he would.

I could've collapsed into a puddle of exhaustion when he pulled out of me and set me on my feet after the powerful sex we had against the wall. The feeling of desperately wanting to crawl inside someone's skin was something I had never desired before. I felt as if I were being ravaged, and it was and possibly would be the single most erotic experience of my entire life. My humble encounters with sex in the past had been just that -- naïve and juvenile.

Nothing would ever compare to the wanton force with which Edward held me to that wall, the way his fingers dug into my flesh as he moved into me with such passion.

We exchanged a brief hello, and then in a monotone voice that I assumed confirmed my fear, he informed me that we were going to Lauren's apartment to get my clothes and other things. I absent mindedly agreed, still distracted by the anxiety displayed in his demeanor.

But then in an unexpected move, he reached out for me, searching for my hand as he kept his eyes locked on mine. I happily gave him my hand and stepped closer to him until I could feel his breath stir my hair.

My body was already reacting to his close proximity, and I felt warmth envelop my entire being as I started to crave more of him.

"Are you okay, Bella?" he suddenly asked, gently.

I scoffed and smiled. "I'm wondering the same thing about you."

He smiled also, but his eyes held a glint of apprehension. "My only concern is for you. Don't worry about me."

_Fat chance…_

I nodded but still felt uneasy about his nervous behavior. However, I was too scared to ask what was troubling him, and my eyes fell to the floor as he pulled his hand away.

I lifted my gaze back to him when I felt the abrupt but pleasant sting of his fingertips as they ghosted across my cheek. He was staring at me intently, and I became entranced, unable to look away from his beautiful emerald orbs. He closed the distance between us slowly, and his eyes danced with anticipation.

I let mine flutter shut, and within seconds, he placed his lips on mine. The kiss started slow and tender as he gently snaked his arms around my waist, and I rested my palms against his chest. As moments passed, I began to sense his urgency in the way he was moving his mouth hungrily against mine and the way his heart pounded beneath my hands.

Our tongues met, and we began to explore each other's mouths, which sent a shudder rippling through my body. I dug my fingertips into his shirt, and I felt one of his hands grope at the fabric at my waist. A quiet moan I couldn't contain escaped from me, and he sighed into my mouth. He dragged his tongue along my lower lip slowly before withdrawing it completely and breaking the kiss.

I kept my eyes closed as I contently laid my head against his firm chest and listened to the rhythm of his heart rate as it steadied. Any fear that he regretted our relationship or wanted to evoke a distance between us had all but disappeared in the few moments our faces were pressed together.

As if he could read and sense my relief in the way I nuzzled lovingly against him, he bent his head, kissed my hair, and whispered, "Don't worry about us."

He kept a careful space between us as he led the way to his silver car, peeking over at me with reassuring grins and chuckling quietly when I'd blush in response.

Once in the car and our hands were beneath the level of prying eyes, he reached over, and without looking at me, laced our fingers together as he started the car then headed towards the street.

We drove to the worn down apartment complex in silence; thoughts unknown to me plaguing him while anxiety steadily commenced its attack on me as we neared the building.

Suddenly, I found it hard to breath.

I knew he felt it as he parked in front of the place that had been my home for a week. He looked at me apologetically and squeezed my hand with concern, passing a surge of comfort through me.

"I'm sorry I have to ask you to go in there, Bella. But I'll be right next to you the whole time, okay?"

"I know." I drew in a heavy breath and forced a smile at him. "I can do this."

He led me into the apartment hastily and shut the door. Although I had just resolved to be strong, fear gripped me with such force that I couldn't move as I entered the living room. The movement of air in the room became as loud as a freight train, and a breath that I had been unknowingly holding came out in a harsh gust.

I needed to get out of there.

Before I could turn to leave or even voice my desire to do so, Edward's arms circled around my waist, pulling me back to him, and I could feel his lips at my ear.

"I'm right here, Bella. Don't be afraid. I won't let go of you, all right? I promise."

I turned my head to him, and our noses bumped.

I grazed my lips against his and said, "I trust you. Now let's just get this over with so I can get the hell out of here."

He kissed me lightly on the mouth before unwrapping his arms and taking my hand in his to pull me through the apartment towards the bedroom.

I attempted to focus all my thoughts on the task for which we had come, but this became increasingly difficult when I spied the withered bundle of flowers that still sat in their vase on the windowsill.

My wide eyes locked on them, and suddenly the form of a man appeared behind them in the window, watching me. It was him, the monster, and he was back. Familiar panic and dread flooded my cells.

_It's not real, Bella…_

I shuddered and blinked, then looked again. The man was gone.

I collected myself in spite of the terror that continued to inch up my spine and followed Edward to the bedroom. He stopped when we reached the doorway and turned to me, placing his hands on each side of my face.

"Bella, you know this is going to be the hard part, stepping in this room. Just stay with me, and we'll do this quick."

I nodded at him, still rattled with fright but resolved to persevere. He removed his hands and once again clasped one of mine tightly with his. We entered the room, and my eyes surveyed the scene.

The blood that had expelled from Lauren's flayed body had left its mark on the ugly carpet, and my stomach churned at the large brown stain. I covered my mouth to stave off the bile creeping its way to my throat.

As Edward began to lead me to the dresser, my eyes fell on the armoire against the opposite wall. The sight of the huge wooden object, my temporary cage, caused my knees to buckle…and I began to see things.

My mind drifted back to the enormous silhouette of a man, the terrifying monster that had appeared to be watching me as I stood in the kitchen that day. I could feel my breathing accelerate in panic.

The sensation of Edward's hand tugging on mine as he urged me forward barely registered as I was lost in my waking nightmare. The room began to spin around me.

A vision of me fleeing the kitchen and running to the bedroom, cowering in terror played in my head next. I could feel Edward beside me, but I couldn't move. Paralysis had taken over my limbs.

The fear of that day consumed me again as I heard Edward call my name in a concerned voice, but I didn't respond. My head became heated, and I felt as if clamps had been placed against each of my temples, bearing down on my skull with great force.

Finally, as I saw myself close the door of the armoire, trapping myself inside for what felt like eternity, my legs gave out from under me.

"Shit!" I heard Edward yell out frantically.

My body sank to the floor in his arms while his voice drifted further away until it disappeared completely.

I don't know how long I was unconscious, but I awoke to the sublime feeling of soft kisses being planted on my cheeks and on my forehead, followed by the familiar voice of my angel as he spoke to me gently.

"Bella? Bella, are you awake?"

My eyes clenched shut tightly before fluttering open, and Edward's perfect but disheartened face filled my vision. I was seated upon his lap as he held me on the floor, and I returned his loving gaze momentarily before glancing at my surroundings.

"Oh, God," I muttered once I recognized where I was.

He immediately tightened his arms around me. "You're okay. I've got you." He huffed. "God, Bella, I'm so sorry I had to bring you here. I should have waited, given you more time."

I looked at him sadly, dismayed that he was feeling guilty for what was my weakness.

"No, Edward. I'm sorry."

His expression was incredulous. "What are you sorry for?"

"I should have been stronger. I started to see and remember things from that day that may have been helpful, but then I just…fainted."

"You have to stop being sorry for your reactions. I should have known that you wouldn't be able to handle coming back here so soon. It's my fault."

I wanted him to stop chastising himself. He was the most caring and captivating person I had ever encountered, and I desired him in a way that I had never desired anyone before.

"Maybe it's neither one of our faults then. Deal?" I offered.

A warm smile came to his lips, and he nodded in agreement. He shifted me on his lap, positioning me in a way so that I was seated more upright.

"Do you think you're all right to continue? Or do you want me to just carry you out of here?"

I shook my head lightly. "I don't know. I want to try to remember what I can, but I think that might be easier to do if you hold me."

He nuzzled his face into my hair, earning a contented sigh from me. "I won't let you go, Bella."

I closed my eyes.

"But I would like to ask you something, since you want to try to remember," he said.

I hesitated for a moment then nervously nodded my head, complying with his request.

"Did Lauren ever talk about Seattle or any illegal activities she may have been involved in?"

I looked at him in bewilderment. "No. She never talked about Seattle, and I never saw her do anything that I would call illegal. Why?"

"So you never heard her maybe talk to someone in a questionable way, like on the phone or in person?"

Suddenly, I remembered one of the dreams I'd had since I had been staying with Edward. My thoughts reverted back to the night she spoke angrily to the person on the phone about "ten percent" and "getting cheated out of her cut." I recalled the glass being thrown and me sweeping up the pieces from the floor.

While a pang on nausea twisted in my stomach, I relayed this trivial event to him, but I did not expect the response it would elicit from him.

He looked at me with deep curiosity. "Did she say the name of the person she was talking to?"

"No," I replied simply.

"Damn," he whispered and looked away pensively, a hard line formed in his forehead.

"Edward, what's going on?"

"I think we're all going to need to take a trip to Seattle soon. We got some information today about Lauren, and Newton and I are going to have to talk to some people there."

"But you said 'we're all going'. Does that mean I'm going with you guys?" I asked.

"I can't leave you in Forks alone. If what we've been told is true, then you could be in danger."

_Danger?_

My heart rate jumped at his words, and my hands began to tremble. "You mean someone may come after me? Who?"

"I don't know yet, but we'll find out. I promise." He tightened his grip around me, proving the validity of his words.

I leaned into him, seeking the tranquility of closeness. He began to rub circles in my back as he pulled me closer against his body. I planted a small kiss to his neck and smirked when I felt a shudder ripple through him. He pressed his hands against me as I nuzzled his soft skin with the tip of my nose and inhaled the subtle scent of the cologne that still clung to his body.

I continued to drag my lips along the length of his neck and released a breathy moan when I felt the growing bulge of his arousal press firmly into my outer thigh. He began to breathe in shallow pants, and in an unfair move that I knew would only promise frustration, I shifted my hips closer to him, needing to feel his hardness pushed against me further.

He tensed at my movements, and his hands reached down to clutch at my hips.

"Not nice, Bella," he breathed in a whisper.

The sound of his impassioned voice sent a tingle down my spine, and I merely answered with, "Sorry."

He inhaled sharply and leaned his head back to look me in the eyes.

"As much as I would love to continue, this isn't exactly the best place for that. I want to get you home and to the bedroom."

My eyes danced at his words, anticipation welling inside me. As my cheeks flamed red, I proceeded to stand from Edward's lap, but then the reality of the situation hit me all over again.

I felt the weight of where I was, and it took every ounce of strength I could muster to avoid the panic looming over my head and gather my things with enough efficiency to get us out of there in ten minutes.

We once again kept our distance as we walked to the car but when inside, he weaved his fingers with mine.

"Well, all things considered, I'd say that was marginally successful," he said, lighthearted.

"Yeah, I suppose my little freak out could've been worse."

He squeezed my hand and chuckled.

"So where am I gonna be while you're doing your investigating in Seattle?" I asked.

He lips turned up in a half-grin. "Looks like you'll be meeting my family sooner than I thought."

* * *

**So what are your thoughts? Did you like it or did you hate it? Do you have any theories about Lauren and what's she was into? :) Let me know! The next chapter will include some lovin' and a trip to Seattle! ;)**

**REVIEW**

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-hugs- Andy


	10. The Interview

**A/N: **I'm so so so sorry, like grovel on my knees, sorry that this took so long. :( I've had some family drama happen that I'm still dealing with, but I hope I've put out a good chapter for everyone! :) Please PLEASE leave a review and let me know how I'm doing! I really love the feedback and I love talking with all of you! Thanks so much for reading and adding this story to your lists. It means so much to me! I love all of you! :) Love to the h00rs, sex moohahas, and all the chick (and some dudes) on Twitter! You are all so great!**

**Follow me on Twitter and chat with me - AndyMCope !!**

Love to AydenMorgen, my beta, writerinmydream for helping with the, ahem, sexy times, and to Cullenbanger9 for the input she provided! And hey! Join the contest I'm hosting with Lovingangels07 and Beegurl13 -- http://publiclovincontest (.) blogspot (.) com/

Disclaimer: Stephanie M. owns all.

* * *

**BPOV**

Stepping into Edward's apartment was always like stepping into some kind of personal sanctuary for me. The scent of Edward's world that clung in the air settled me and made me smile. The musk of his cologne. The laundry detergent that supposedly mimicked the smell of a mountain breeze.

These things were becoming wonderfully familiar to me, allowing me to forget about what had just occurred at Lauren's haunting apartment.

I followed him through the front door. Immediately upon entering, sensual tension flared between and penetrated straight down to my bones.

He grabbed my hand. We started towards the bedroom that I now considered mine, my heart racing violently in my chest.

He never looked back at me as we walked. His face was hidden from view, but I could hear him exhaling long, shaky breaths. I wanted to smile or even laugh, release some of the anticipation I was holding captive inside of me.

I stayed silent, relishing in the quiet intensity that surrounded us.

We reached the doorway to the bedroom, and he stopped. When he turned to look at me, I saw that he wore a sexy half-grin that made goosebumps rise on my skin. My already burning cheeks began to flame a deep red.

_His beauty is as sharp as a knife_, I thought to myself, recalling a similar line I had read in a book once.

He kept his smoldering eyes locked on mine as he tugged on my hand and walked backward, pulling me into the room. It was dark out. The many stars that littered the sky and bright moon provided the only light that was needed.

The back of his knees hit the foot of the bed, and he quickly sat down on the edge. I stopped in front of him, placing my thighs between his.

He reached for the waistband of the black yoga pants he had bought for me, and with a crooked grin, slid them down over my hips, taking my black lace panties with them.

Once they were down to my knees, he wrapped an arm around my hips and traced the fingers of his other hand across the silky wetness between my legs. A breathy moan fell from my lips, and I threw my head back when his fingertips came in contact with my throbbing clit.

"You're so beautiful, Bella," he said through strangled breaths. "Perfect."

My hands weaved clumsily though his hair. I tugged as he proceeded to slip one finger, then two, three inside me. The feel of his fingers pushing deep into my slit made my legs weak and my body yearn for him to make love to me.

I could never have imagined it would feel this way, being desired and wanted in spite of my troubled past. His breathing became jagged, and my name escaped his lips more than once as he slammed his fingers into me harder. His thumb pressed eagerly against my erect nub.

I cried out and would've come undone completely had he not pulled his hand away.

I brought my head down to look at him. His green eyes were ablaze, burning with lust.

I watched as he put his fingers in his mouth, tasting me on them. His eyes full of fire and want, a low moan escaping his lips. A rush of heat ran through me, mimicking his reaction. Leaning forward, he planted gentle kisses along my thighs, my stomach, my hipbones.

"I want you," he whispered against the skin of my thigh.

His tender voice, dripping with passion, made me shudder, and the only coherent word I could whisper was "please."

With that, he reached for the hemline of my shirt, and I helped him in pulling it over my head. I unclasped my bra and tossed it aside. I pushed my pants down further and let them fall to the floor. And then I was naked in front of him. Pale and small, but it was me, all I had to offer.

He looked at me in awe, and I diverted my eyes, blushing a deep, crimson red because I knew that he thought I was beautiful. I couldn't recall the last time anyone had looked at me as adoringly as he was right then. I wanted to lock the moment away and keep it with me forever.

_Despite the world and all its ugliness, right here, right now, I am beautiful._

He pulled me to lay on top of him, and I straddled his waist. I opened the buttons of his shirt and ran my hands over his body. His eyes fluttered as I kissed the skin of his bare chest and reached my hand into his pants to feel for him. A soft groan escaped me when I gripped his rock hard length, forcing a current of moisture to pool between my legs.

The moment I wrapped my fingers around him and began to stroke his cock, he released a heavy breath. Pulling me up by my waist, he rolled me over until I was completely under him.

"I'm gonna make love to you the way I should have the first time," he said lovingly as he settled his hips between my thighs. My heart clenched at his words, and in that single moment, I wanted him in a way I had never wanted anything in my life.

He sat up and leaned back on his heels to remove his shirt. His hands played over my body like a whisper as his eyes took in my naked form, laid out and ready for him. I was in agony. The way he gazed at me with so much tenderness yet with the fervor of a lion ready to pounce on its prey, made me crazy with lust. He wanted me as much as I wanted him.

He leaned back further, unbuckling and peeling his pants and boxers off quickly before returning to me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and felt the hardness of his shaft as it grazed my aching clit. My back arched in response. We moaned simultaneously, and he rolled his hips into me as I raised mine, writhing against him.

He looked at me then, and his stare was intense, focused.

_I need you inside of me._

Although the words were not spoken, he could see the desire in my eyes. Before I had to continue with my silent begging, he pushed himself between my wet folds, filling me completely. I gasped then his mouth was on mine.

Our tongues met and mingled, massaging each other as he began with slow and tender thrusts. I gripped his shoulders roughly, pulling him to me and melting into his arms. It was as if I could never be close enough to him.

He touched my face, kissed my eyelids, and breathed heavily against my neck. He clutched my breast in the palm of his hand, rolling the nipple, then dragged his mouth to it. My back arched, and I whimpered as he teased my stiff peak with his tongue and grazed it with his teeth.

The movements of his hips were becoming more urgent as he repeatedly pounded against my pelvis. Hot breaths blew across my face. His emerald eyes held mine, and I dug my fingers into his back as the sudden sensation of my orgasm coursed through my body. Every cell came alive. My moans of pleasure filled the room as every muscle tensed, my walls clenching and convulsing around him.

His thrusts became impossibly more fervent, and I couldn't help but buck my hips against him, wanting his relief to match mine. A moment later, his hands shot down to my hips, holding me there. I felt him twitch inside me. My fingers tangled in his hair, and I peppered his neck with kisses as he groaned and slammed into me one last time.

--------------

We didn't sleep that night. We stayed awake, basking in a near constant afterglow as we laid side by side, our legs entwined.

His fingers lightly glided over my rib cage and stroked my breast, making my nipple hard and erect. The feel of his fingertips sent a shiver through me.

"How do you think your family is going to feel about me?"

He kept his eyes closed and sighed. "The same way I do; they'll love you." He stopped and looked down at me. "We just can't tell them about us. Not yet anyway. You know that, right?"

I nodded, fully accepted that this relationship would need to be kept secret, even from his family. Regardless of whether or not they accepted me, I still couldn't compromise anything, especially Edward's career.

He held me closer, and I smiled up at him. "I understand."

**EPOV**

The trip to Seattle was considerably quiet but revealing nonetheless. Newton followed in his car behind us, and I drove my Volvo. As we held hands, Bella and I talked about our feelings for each other, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her I loved her, even though at that point I knew I did. She didn't say she loved me either. It was unfamiliar feeling to me as I had never been in love before. The short time I had known Bella had been a whirlwind of dramatic events that made me closer to her than I had ever been to anyone in my entire life. As much as I wanted to tell her, I reminded myself that it had been less than a week, and it was too soon to say _'I love you'_. Instead, we expressed ourselves through our fears of what could potentially happen that day.

"I'm scared, Edward," she said.

"Don't be scared. I know what I'm doing."

She gazed at me with worry in her eyes. "I just don't want to lose you."

I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You won't. But I have to talk to this guy because I don't want to lose you either."

Her face became expressionless, and she turned her head to look out the window. "It's just that…I know what it's like to watch someone leave and wonder if they'll ever come back."

I would never be sure of whom she was referring to, but I assumed she was speaking of her mother's abandonment.

I didn't like when she said things like that. It broke my heart every time. Through these vague statements, I learned about her life and felt the emotions of events I hadn't experienced. I couldn't stand the idea of her fearing for my life or wondering if I would hurt her or disappear just as everyone else in her life had. I could never bring her that much pain. Even thought my job entailed many risks, I would do my god damn best to always be there for her. I brought our clasped hands up and lovingly kissed her knuckles.

"Bella, look at me."

She did.

"I'm not going to disappear on you, but I have to protect you. No matter what."

Relief washed over me when her lips turned up into the clumsy smile I loved so much.

"Yeah, I know." She sighed heavily. "I'll be okay. Don't worry about me."

I smiled back at her and decided to change the subject to something more lighthearted.

"So, what's one thing you loved to do when you were younger, you know, for fun?"

"Um…" She thought for a moment. "I loved taking marathon baths," she said with a chuckle.

I peeked over at her, amused by her answer. "You liked to take baths?"

She shrugged. "No one ever bothered me when I locked myself in the bathroom."

Her tone was still playful, but my smile faded. It was another statement that broke my heart a little.

------------------

We arrived at my parents' rather large three story house, and I stepped back to Newton's SUV to tell him that I'd be right back.

"Make it quick, rookie," the asshole said.

I ignored that, even though I wanted to strangle him a bit with the cheesy floral tie he wore over a plain white button down shirt.

_Why the fuck is he wearing a tie anyway?_

I casually led Bella to the door, resisting the urge to reach out for her hand so as not to tip off Newton. I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. Bella turned her head in my direction, and we exchanged calming smiles with each other just as the door swung open. My mother stood before us, beautiful as always. He caramel colored hair glistening in the sun.

"Edward!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

"Hey, Mom," I said with a smile.

"Good to see you! And I'm guessing this is Bella?" she asked kindly, looking to the girl standing next to me.

"Uh, yeah. Bella, this is my mother, Esme."

Bella smiled brightly and extended her hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you."

My mother took Bella's hand warmly. "Pleasure to meet you, Bella. Come on in."

She moved aside, allowing us to step into the foyer.

I let Bella go first, and as I passed my mother, I quietly asked, "You didn't invite everyone over, did you?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, I heard someone yell, "Little brother!"

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, recognizing the booming voice of my brother, Emmett.

My mother's expression was amused but held a hint of sympathy. "Sorry, Edward. They kind of invited themselves." She laughed lightly.

I waved her off, letting her know it was no big deal and shifted my attention back to Bella, who was anxiously standing next to me. I took in her nervous expression with dismay, and my hand ached to hold hers. All I could do was reassure her with a smile and lead her into the living room where the rest of my family waited.

Everyone was seated on the three couches that adorned the immaculate living room. Everyone except Emmett, who approached us first.

My big brother pulled me into a tight hug. "So, you finally decided to stop by and say hello, huh?"

I laughed. "Sort of. I just came to drop Bella off for the day so I can do some work. Bella, this is Emmett."

"Hey, Bella," he said cheerfully.

"Nice to meet you," she answered politely.

The rest of the group stood and joined us. My business-like but sincerely kind father introduced himself next, welcoming her and instructing her to "make herself at home." Jasper, my tall and reserved brother-in-law greeted her with a quiet but friendly hello. Rosalie, Emmett's wife and Jasper's twin sister uttered a simple "hi" in her usual standoff-ish fashion. Bella readily shook all of their hands, pushing aside her discomfort with being in the midst of the large group.

She reached out to my petite little sister, Alice, after exchanging introductions with her. But rather than accepting Bella's hand, Alice gently pulled her into a warm embrace, saying, "No need for handshakes. I'm happy to meet you!"

I could see that Bella was stunned by the sudden gesture and for a moment, she froze. Alice did have a tendency to be a little over bearing at times.

Then Bella smiled and lightly patted Alice's back. "Thanks," she said.

We all chuckled at my sister's usual forwardness, not surprised at all that she would be so quick to hug a complete stranger.

My mother then offered her a drink and invited her to sit down. I nodded encouragingly at Bella and watched as she settled in with my family while I hung back, knowing I needed to leave but not wanting to. She seemed comfortable enough, but leaving without holding her, kissing her, promising her once again that I would be all right was slowly tearing me apart inside.

The conversation of my family filled the room. I was on the verge of turning towards the front door when Bella abruptly turned in my direction, and we locked eyes. The sound of everyone speaking faded from my ears. Her powerful gaze held so much love that my pulse quickened in response. I did my best to match her stare, showing her as much love and reassurance as I could with my eyes.

She didn't smile, but she didn't have to. The look in her eyes was enough to compel me to move forward, so I could get the job done, learn more information, and then come back to her.

------------------

"Is this it?" Mike Newton asked as we stood across the street from the house Jessica Stanley had pointed us to during her interview.

"This is where she said the guy was," I answered.

"But she said she wasn't sure he was directly involved, right?"

"Right."

The house was old, worn with age. White paint was chipping everywhere, the roof was sagging; not a place you'd want to be stuck in during a rain storm.

"What a pile of shit," Newton commented as he took in the dilapidated house.

I chuckled. "You're right about that."

We walked up to the porch. The first thing I spotted was the security camera nestled above the front door, pointing down at us. We exchanged a knowing glance.

_Yeah, druggies live here._

I knocked on the door, and we were met with a few moments of silence. Just as I was beginning to wonder if anyone was home, the door opened and before us stood a scraggly blond haired kid who couldn't have been much older than eighteen.

A plethora of emotions flooded me at the sight of him. I attempted to block out the immediate anger and suspicion that flared inside me as I stood face to face with the man who could possibly be a threat to Bella's life.

Surprisingly to us, he let us in with little trepidation. We openly announced ourselves as Detective Cullen and Detective Newton, but this didn't seem to faze him. We may as well have been two guys he saw everyday. We followed behind him as he sauntered into the house wearing a snaky grin that made me think he had an over-sized ego.

He pointed out a couch for us to sit on while we had our talk, and from where I sat, I could see a clearly nervous Jessica Stanley leaning against the counter in the kitchen. She was fidgeting with an apple and staring blankly at the floor.

"So, what can I do for you guys?" the kid asked.

Newton was ready with a notepad and a pen.

"Well, first of all, is you first name James…and your last name Dye?"

"You already asked me that one," he said sarcastically.

"It's a simple question. You shouldn't have a problem answering it again."

He huffed. "Yes, my name is James Dye."

"Do you know a girl by the name of Lauren Mallory?"

He took in the question in a nonchalant manner. "Yeah, I knew of her. She was pretty well known around here."

"She 'was' pretty well known? So, then you know she was murdered five nights ago."

"I heard about that," he answered.

"How?" I asked quickly.

"Like I said, she was known around here."

"What do you mean by that exactly?" Newton asked.

"I mean, she did business in this area."

"Okay, what kind of business are we talking about?"

"The business of selling. I know she sold for a few guys."

"And you're talking about drugs, right?" I got straight to the point. Much of this, we had already learned from Jessica's interview.

"Yeah, Lauren was just a tool for some people. It's more common than you cops know," James said in a smartass tone.

"Did she sell for you, James?" Newton inquired, pointedly.

We waited for his answer, and he leaned back, smirking. "I'm not involved in that particular business, sir."

I glared at him, anger burning inside of me. I knew he was lying. "So, you're saying that if we were to rip this place apart, we wouldn't find any drugs? Maybe some pot, cocaine, pills of some kind?"

"Go ahead and look. You won't find anything," he said seriously. "Besides, I already told you, I'm not involved in that shit."

"Then you know who is."

"There's a lot of people around here that Lauren was mixed up with. It could've been anyone. Good luck finding anyone that will talk to you though."

This guys was either directly involved, knew who was involved, or simply was keeping quiet so that he wouldn't fall victim to the same fate as Lauren Mallory. We weren't ready to give up just yet, however.

"Did you hear about any jobs or any particular job that went bad? Or can you think of any reason why she may have been killed off?"

He shrugged, clearly not intending on answering the question fully. "Maybe she just wasn't of any use anymore."

He wasn't going to give us anything, and we had nothing to use against him. We walked out the front door none the wiser than we had been when we entered. I was beyond frustrated. Desperation would be the most adequate term to describe my state of mind as we walked across the lawn to our cars.

"Cullen," I heard in a loud whisper.

I swung my head around to see Jessica Stanley leaning against the side of the house in a narrow space beside the house next door. Newton hadn't heard her, and I yelled at him to go ahead, making an excuse that I had dropped something on the porch. I took my time, watching as he pulled away from the curb and headed down the street. I reached Jessica, and her face held the usual expression of worry I was all too familiar with.

"I have something to tell you," she said quickly.

"Jessica, I can't talk to you like this. If you have more information, come find me at the station."

I turned, and she grabbed my arm forcefully. "Wait!" I stopped dead in my tracks, slightly taken aback by her abruptness. "If I disappear again so soon, they'll be on to me. I have to tell you now."

I sighed and relented. "Okay, fine. What do you know?"

"I heard James talking to someone on his phone today. Someone else who knows what Lauren was doing."

"Did you catch the name?"

"No."

I huffed, exasperated. "Then what am I supposed to do with that, Jessica? I need a name, anything to go on."

"All I know is, it was someone in Forks. Someone in Forks was a customer of Lauren's."

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**So, What did you think of the lemon? Did I fail or was it yummmy? :) And who do you think is the customer in Forks? Let me know if you loved this or hated this! Review, Review, Review! I love you guys! --Andy**


	11. The Number

**A/N: This is a short one, but it's basically a filler with a clue at the end for you guys to try to figure out! :) As always I hope you like this, and please REVIEW. I love all of you for reading and I'd love to talk with you!**

**Don't forget to visit the Twilighted thread for this story! The link is on my profile. Go discuss your theories with other readers! :)**

**My beta AydenMorgen has had some illness in her family, so I let her tend to that (love you dear!) So my friend and published author Bonnieroseleigh stepped in and looked this over for me! Read her books! :) Love to the beautiful people on Twitter! Thanks so much for your wonderful support! You mean so much to me. :)**

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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**BPOV**

So there I was, amongst Edward's family, observing them and drinking tea. I felt a sadness come over me as I watched them laugh and take interest in each other's lives. It was something I never had, never knew. But in a way, I was glad to finally see what it meant to truly love your children. It made me smile in spite of the worry that was wreaking havoc on my nerves.

Edward had left, but my thoughts were still fixed on him. I was scared, beyond scared, that I wouldn't see him again. I expressed my fear to him as we made the trip to Seattle, and then I told him I would be okay. Which was a lie, of course. I only said it for his benefit. He had a job to do and didn't need to be concerned with me. But neither knowing exactly where he was going nor the people he'd encounter there made me crazy with anxiety.

And I couldn't hug him or kiss him before he left. Instead, I was only able to look at him, and I communicated my thoughts through a gaze. He stared back, and our unsaid love reflected in each other's eyes. At least I knew I loved him. Based on what his emerald orbs said at that moment, I had a feeling he loved me too.

With my eyes, I told him to be careful and to come back to me quickly. That I loved him and needed him in my life. The chatter of his family dissipated entirely, and it was silent around me. I would never be sure if anyone noticed our exchange, but I didn't care at the time.

The only person who existed in the world was Edward.

And then he left, and the absence of him was felt immediately. I had never prayed before, but I prayed then.

_God, please bring him back…_

I sat for the next few moments with his family and tried to calm myself. My lips held a small smile as I listened to their lighthearted conversations and answered questions.

"So, Bella, how are you liking the Pacific Northwest? Edward said you're from Phoenix." Esme asked.

"It's beautiful here. I love all the trees," I answered.

Dr. Cullen then asked, "Are you planning on going to school, or are you just trying to get away from the desert?" He smiled, and he had the whitest teeth I'd ever seen.

"Um, it's more like I'm just simply trying to get away," I said sadly.

The mood in the room shifted when the words fell from my mouth. I was the wrong thing to say. I realized that instantly. The atmosphere that had been cheerful and light was now melancholy. A quick glance around the room revealed their compassionate yet curious expressions. No one asked me to elaborate, and for that I was grateful. But their quizzical looks made me uncomfortable, and I took a meager sip of my tea.

Relief washed over me when Jasper spoke up and asked Dr. Cullen a question that barely registered in my mind. He threw me a sideways glance, and I silently thanked him with a smile for taking the attention off of me. Everyone's focus diverted elsewhere, and I released a heavy sigh, attempting to relax.

"Bella!" Alice suddenly said.

She startled me, and my already shaky hand jolted, causing the ice to clink in my glass.

She plopped down on the couch next to me. "How are you liking staying with my brother? He's such a slob, isn't he?" she asked with a chuckle.

I opened my mouth to answer but then heard. "Oh yeah, has my brother hit on you yet?" Emmett asked in a playful voice.

This was followed by the sound of Rosalie's hand as she smacked the back of Emmett's head. "Shut up, you douche nozzle! You can't ask her that!"

Emmett laughed. "Why not? It's a legitimate question. I mean, he's alone in his apartment with a girl. It's only a matter of time."

My eyes grew wide for a second, then I looked down at the floor. He was joking. I knew that. But it was hard to conceal my discomfort with the 'discussion' since he was basically right. I fidgeted in my seat and took another drink from my glass.

"No, it's not," Alice interjected. "Edward's always way too focused on his job to worry about a girlfriend."

"Exactly. I don't think anything could distract him right now. He's just getting started on his career," Jasper added.

I never had the chance to speak, which was fine with me. I nervously glanced around the room, forcing a smile in an attempt to stave off my apprehension. Esme and Dr. Cullen seemed to be amused by the entire exchange.

"I agree with Rosalie…except for the 'douche nozzle' part." Dr. Cullen said, and everyone laughed.

Alice turned her attention away from the group and back to me. In a quiet voice only meant for me to hear, she said, "But really, Edward is the most determined guy I know. Ignore Emmett."

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, he seems to really love his job."

She shook her head slightly. "It's more than that. It has to do with something that happened when we were little. See, Carlisle and Esme adopted us."

"I know. He told me about that happened to your real parents."

She looked a bit surprised. "He did?"

I wondered if I should've kept my mouth shut. "Uh, yeah. We were bored one night, so we played Truth or Dare." I felt my cheeks began to blush as I recalled that evening, our first real kiss.

"Oh. Well, yes. Then our parents died, and ever since then, Edward's always wanted to be a detective. It's like he's on some kind of mission."

_Mission? _My brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

She thought for a moment. "Have you ever seen _The Silence of The Lambs_?"

I nodded.

"Edward's kind of like Jodi Foster's character. He has this mentality that maybe if he saves just one person or solves one case, then he'll find some sort of closure," she explained.

"He feels like he needs closure?" I asked, curiously.

"Well, they never found our parents' killer, Bella," she said sadly.

My heart, already marred by my own past grief, broke even further for Edward. He was haunted, just like I was. The pain of Edward and his siblings was the opposite of mine, but I still fully understood it.

_I know who my father's killer is…_

"I'm so sorry, Alice. He didn't tell me that part."

She smiled and gently rubbed my arm for a moment. "It's okay. Of course he didn't. Anyway, that's why it would take a lot to distract him. That boy would really have to be in love with a girl."

I bit my lip and suppressed a giggle. Elation surged through me as her words gave me hope that perhaps I was the girl she was speaking of. Edward had made love to me. His hands knew my body in a way that no one's ever had, and he told me wanted me. When he looked at me, it was as if he already understood me without me having to say anything at all.

"Yeah, I bet," was all I said.

Edward arrived back at the house a couple hours later. Alice gave me a hug while practically demanding that I go shopping with her sometime. I agreed passively, unsure if I would even be in the area long enough to actually return to Seattle. Nothing was very certain at that point.

The trip back to Forks consisted of obvious avoidance on Edward's part. He lovingly held my hand as he talked about mundane things, steering clear of discussing the details of where he had been that day. I didn't mind; seeing him again had been all I was concerned with.

The moment he stepped passed the threshold at the Cullen's house, I had to restrain myself from running into his arms. His eyes burned into mine, and I could feel the intensity between us right away.

It was threatening to overwhelm me until he pulled the car to the side of the road five minutes after we drove out of the driveway.

He put the car in park then wrapped his arms around my waist. My eyes grew moist as I clung to him, holding him to me.

"God, I'm so happy to see you," I said in a voice shaken by emotion.

"I told you I'd be back," he whispered into my hair.

I closed my eyes and held him tighter, allowing myself to become lost in the soothing comfort of his embrace. He tilted his head and touched his lips softly to my neck. Warmth radiated through me as his breath tickled my skin. His mouth brushed along my jaw line and continued upward until it covered mine. We kissed each other firmly, yielding to the overwhelming sense of relief we both felt. My fingers knotted in his hair. Though the air inside the car was intense, we were both silent, calm. There was a peace between us during the kiss, as if we had just stepped into the eye of a storm. We were simply thankful to be together again.

He released my lips and pressed his forehead against mine.

"Let's go home," he said softly.

I smiled. "Okay."

The smile remained on my lips for the entire trip back to Forks until we pulled into the parking lot of Edward's complex. As he shut off the car, he turned to me, an expression of trepidation on his face.

He looked as though he was about to say something that he was already regretting.

"Bella…do you know how to use a gun?"

My eyes widened.

"I hate guns," I answered quickly.

A hard line formed in his forehead. He knew the meaning behind my words immediately.

"Yeah, of course you do. Stupid question. I'm sorry I asked," he offered compassionately with a squeeze of my hand.

"Why did you ask though?"

He shook his head, reluctant to answer. "I'll just be worried about you while I'm at work. But I'd worry about you no matter what." His lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

I left it at that, fully aware that he was withholding something from me so as not to scare me.

But his evasiveness only made me more fearful.

I couldn't sleep that night. I laid in Edward's arms, and Alice's words rang loudly in my ears as if she were still sitting right next to me. Not knowing if Edward was awake or not, I softly called his name.

"Yeah?" he answered right away.

I hesitated, realizing that I was possibly bringing up a gloomy subject.

"I'm…sorry about your parents. That the killer was never found."

He sighed. "Let me guess. Alice got to you?"

"Well, she mentioned it. I'm sorry, Edward. I shouldn't have said anything."

He bent his head down and kissed my hair. "It's okay, Bella. I don't mind talking about it with you."

I smiled at that, grateful that he trusted me. "She said that's why you always wanted to be a detective."

"I just want to help people so they don't have to go through what we went through."

I nuzzled into him, gliding my nose along his neck. "I admire you, Edward."

"I admire you, too."

I froze, and my breath caught in my chest. "Why?"

"Because you could hate the world, hate everybody and everything in it after what you've been through. But you're still caring and sweet. You're still trying to make it through life, just like me."

That he saw me in that way caused tears to well in my eyes. This man was good-natured, non-judgmental and he… admired me? I opened my mouth as the words 'I love you' threatened to propel from my lips, but I stopped myself and instead said, "Thank you."

He turned onto his side and scooted until he was eye level with me on the bed. His fingertips drew a line from my cheek to my naked shoulder as my hand rested on his bare chest.

"Why did your mother leave you?" he asked in a whisper.

My heart clenched as the long dormant pain of my mother's abandonment attacked me all at once.

I swallowed hard. "Um, she never cared about me, and two years after my dad died, she said could no longer live with a murderer. Then she left with Phil because I was almost eighteen anyway."

He shook his head, and his jaw was tense. "That's bullshit. You know you're not a murderer, right?"

I stared into his eyes. Logic, as well as the courts, had always told me that I wasn't. No one had ever been present in my life to reinforce that. I knew what Edward had just said was true. And for the first time, I felt fully vindicated. The weight of my father's death off my shoulders.

I nodded and leaned in to kiss him. For that moment, I felt free.

**EPOV**

I went into work the next day still feeling the sting of the information I'd learned while in Seattle. I had known all along that the person responsible for Lauren's death could possibly still be in Forks, but now I was almost certain. Unless this alleged 'customer' had skipped town already.

I knew where my search had to begin. I went straight to the case file, which had so far yielded useless information. Even Lauren's phone records weren't helpful. Most of the incoming calls were restricted, and the ones we could identify were family or removed from the suspect list early on as close friends. I carried the thick file with me to the station's small evidence room. I knew what box numbers to look for.

Lauren Mallory: Case No. 127: 01, 02, 03

I pulled the boxes down one by one, shuffling through the contents with watchful eyes. Each minute that passed in my seemingly fruitless searched added to my frustration as I dug through the last box and still had yet to find anything of use. I shoved the papers around roughly before finally throwing them down in a fit of anger.

"Damn it!" I exclaimed. I ran my fingers through my hair in exasperation and was about to say 'fuck it' when something caught my eye.

Lying at the bottom of the box was a tiny slip of torn paper with something written on it. I picked it up, squinting my eyes as I tried to read the small print. The penmanship suggested a female wrote it. The numbers were written in delicate slants and loops; not the hard and block lines of a typical male's handwriting. I stared at the five numbers for a moment and realized what they were.

"3-4017"

_It's part of a phone number_, I thought to myself. Though I had no clue how I knew that, I just did.

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**There it is! The number is not only a phone number pertaining to the story, but it's also a clue for you! The dash means nothing and there are 2 sets of numbers(it's no one's birthday. think "Twilight"). :) You don't have to tell me your guess if you don't want to, just REVIEW and we'll find out the answer in the next chapter! It may or may have anything to do with the killer. ;) Please let me know your thoughts! Love you All! -Andy**


	12. The Sound

**A/N: Once again, I sincerely apologize for my delayed update. :( I've still got family living with me until this weekend, then things should be back to normal. But I really hope you enjoy this chapter! It was exciting and fun to write! I'm really loving all the reviews and follows on Twitter! And of course thanks for alerting/favoriting this story. You all mean so much and you are what keeps me going! :) Please continue to REVIEW! I love talking with all of you and reading your feedback! It really helps me out!**

**Thanks to my beta, AydenMorgen! Everyone should look her up and read her fics! Thanks to my girls on Twitter! I love you all and you keep me sane. :) Follow me there under the name AndyMCope!**

**There is also a Twilighted thread for this story! I'd love for you to drop by and discuss the story with me! http://twilighted (dot) net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=8145**

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**

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****EPOV**

It wasn't difficult to figure out who the number belonged to. Ten minutes in front of a phone book was all it took. A five minute call brought the man in. He had spoken to us before. After his prints were found on the windowsill at Lauren Mallory's apartment.

He looked the same. Except this time, Mr. Aro was missing the end of his right index finger.

He was still, swarthy even. The untrusting eyes avoided looking directly at either me or Sergeant Banner, and when he did glance at us, he just scowled, irritation evident in his expression.

I tried to stay focused as we talked with him, but I felt as if I was experiencing a sort of mental dislocation. The prevailing symptom being that I struggled to contain my anger. This interview, like the one before it, was part of the job, but my mind and heart saw it differently. It was about Bella's well-being. And this man was possibly a threat to that.

I glared him, as I had done before, trying to translate his behavior throughout the course of the questioning. He fidgeted; his forehead right under his hairline glistened with sweat in the harsh overhead lighting. His hands, which were on the table, were clamped together tightly. He was nervous as hell.

I studied each of his quick responses, analyzing every syllable for signs of deception.

"Mr. Aro, you said you didn't know Lauren Mallory well, correct?" Sergeant Banner asked.

"Yeah, that's right," he answered, his eyes on the table.

"So, would there be any reason that she'd have maybe your e-mail address, phone number, anything like that?"

He shook his head. "I don't see why she would. We didn't know each other on a personal level."

"Okay," the sergeant said as he reached into the small envelope that lay on the table. "Then can you explain why we found your phone number at her apartment?" He slid the slip of paper to Aro.

He diverted his eyes, hesitant to look at first. Then with a huff, he lowered his head and examined the numbers, squinting his eyes to read the small print.

"That is part of your number, isn't it?" I asked, pointedly.

"Well…yes…" he stuttered. "But I honestly don't know why she would have it."

"What happened to your finger, Aro?" I asked next.

His eyes darted down to his hand. He quickly covered it with the other.

"I sliced it with a knife."

"Doing what?"

"Cutting meat," he responded quickly.

"When did that happen?"

"Yesterday evening."

"Did you go to the hospital?" I asked.

"No, it wasn't necessary."

I fought back a chuckle and held my stare. The man's finger was partially cut off; I'd say that a trip to the hospital would have been necessary. His shifty eyes revealed what I had seen in them before: dishonesty.

I wanted to lunge across the table, yank on his shirt, demand that the bastard talk. Tell the fucker that it wasn't only his life at stake. But I remained still, trapped in responsibility and obligation.

"Do you know someone by the name of James Dye, Mr. Aro?" Sergeant Banner asked, snapping me out of my rage.

Aro froze. He looked at the sergeant, wide eyed, like a deer caught in headlights, and began to shake his head clumsily.

"Never heard of him," he answered.

"You have never spoken to him on the phone or visited him?"

"There's no way I'd know him. I never have a reason to go to Seattle."

I smirked, and my superior and I glanced at each other at the same time.

_We fucking got him._

I leaned forward to rest my elbows on the table. "Did you say Seattle?" I asked, shrugging. "We hadn't mentioned the part about Seattle yet. Do you know his address too?"

The already pale face of Mr. Aro became a ghostly white. His mouth fell open, and his eyes darted between us.

"Oh well, I just assumed you meant Seattle. You know, just a guess…"

"Bullshit…" I said under my breath, feeling my control slipping gradually as he continued to feign innocence.

Sergeant Banner interjected. "Were you a customer of James and went through Lauren? Is that how it worked?"

"No. I didn't fucking know the guy!" Aro's tone began to increase in volume.

"Did he do that to your hand?"

"It wasn't him!"

"Then who cut off the tip of your finger?"

"I don't know his name! I didn't even see his face." He buried his head in his hands, defeated. "The guy hid his face the whole time," his quiet, muffled voice said.

A void of silence fell on the room as the intensity dissipated. I decided to press on, taking advantage of Mr. Aro's sudden willingness to talk.

"So, you were attacked?"

"Yes," he answered.

"And you know it wasn't James Dye?" I asked calmly, relieved that we had managed to break through. Ounces of tension left my body as I felt confident that he would finally disclose what he knew.

"I know it wasn't him. The voice wasn't the same," he said, head still buried.

"You didn't recognize the voice of this person?"

"No, I didn't."

"We need to know what was said during this 'attack'."

He lifted his head from his hands finally, bringing his eyes to meet the sergeant and myself.

"I was warned not to talk to the cops, or I'd die. Yet here I sit," he said, sarcastically.

"Did he mention anything about the murder of Lauren Mallory?"

"He didn't say anything about the murder. I was just told to not give any names or talk about the activity Lauren was involved in."

My focus started to waver. I glanced at Sergeant Banner, confused and surprised that this alleged attacker made no mention of the murder and merely wanted Lauren's activity to be kept quiet. It was as if the murder was an ink blot on a larger picture, unimportant. I didn't know what to make of it.

Unable to resist, I asked, "Mr. Aro, do you know who killed Lauren Mallory? Do you think it was the person who attacked you?"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "I don't know who killed her, and I don't know if it was this person."

"Then let me ask you this: If you did know, would you tell us?"

He momentarily sat quiet then chuckled, exposing two yellow front teeth.

"Don't you get it yet? No one will talk to you. Because no one wants to be the snitch. And most of all, nobody wants to die. But I'm telling you right now, I don't know who killed her."

It was another interview that led to nowhere. The murder and activity of Lauren Mallory was almost appearing to be two separate things, one having nothing to do with the other. James explained that Lauren could have become expendable, a no longer needed tool. Yet Mr. Aro, a person who could've easily witnessed her murder, was threatened by a man who spoke only of drug activity then hacked off the tip of his finger as a way to validate his words.

So much was uncertain. The killer could've been one of our informants or had yet to make contact with any of our informants. And no one was willing to talk, which meant the risk was growing greater that I could lose Bella. I looked at my watch and cursed under my breath. I was supposed to have called her a half hour ago.

**BPOV**

Edward hadn't called yet. The time when he said he'd check on me had passed. Something was wrong. I had begun to sense even more tension in his behavior than I normally did, and it scared me.

He came home the previous night with the news that he had found a lead in the form of a phone number, but, as usual, he didn't elaborate beyond that. Prior to that day, I had no problem with the lack of details. But his evasiveness was starting to take its toll on me. My palms were sweaty and clammy as I was uselessly thinking of ways to distract myself.

At one point, I opened a random book I pulled from the shelf.

"Cecilia was the first to go…" one of the morbid lines read.

I closed it immediately. Death was not a subject I cared to occupy my mind with.

So I took my place on the couch, sitting in a cloud of my own distress as I longed for the phone to ring. I sat stoic, a picture of calmness, but inside my stomach clenched with the overwhelming feeling of fear that threatened to consume me.

If I was in danger, I wanted to know. I had a right to know.

I had resolved to confront him and had rehearsed in my head what I would say. But when Edward walked in the door, my mind went blank. The words caught in my throat the moment I saw the expression on his face.

He pushed the door closed and kept his eyes on the floor, a hard line present on his forehead. His demeanor was pensive, but I could also see sadness in the way he slumped his shoulders as he moved; the appearance of a man defeated.

Seeing him like that immediately made me want to go to him, wrap my arms around him, and make him forget about everything that was troubling him. I took a step in his direction, prepared to do just that, but stopped when he forced a smile as he looked at me.

It was a tight, unconvincing smile that I knew was only meant to distract the both of us from the reality of the situation we were facing. I couldn't let this go. Another evening of avoiding the facts like cracks in a sidewalk was not something I could bear to do again.

"I'm sorry I didn't call, Bella. I got caught up with…something at work."

"And what was that?" I asked as he pulled me against his chest.

He bent his head to plant a kiss to my hair. "Just an interview. That's all."

"And it had to do with…Lauren's case, right?" I nervously asked.

He hesitated before simply saying, "Yeah."

"Edward, do me a favor, okay?"

"Okay."

I pulled back enough to allow me to look at his face. "Stop keeping things from me. Please tell me the truth. I need to know what's going on. Everything."

The single vertical line returned to his forehead, and he shook his head sadly. "I don't even know what the hell is going on, Bella. So what do you want me to say?"

"You know enough that it's making you upset and nervous all the time. I can see it in your eyes, and I want to know everything you know."

He dropped his hands to his side. "I don't want to scare you. You're here all day by yourself, and there's no way I can protect you while I'm gone. The last thing you need is to sit around here and be afraid."

"I'm already afraid. You told me before we went to Seattle that I could be in danger, and I feel like I have a right to know what happened there and what happened today. Hell, it's my life at stake."

His eyes grew moist then, as if he was on the verge of tears. His mouth parted, preparing to speak, but closed again. I could feel him withdrawing as he remained silent for a moment, a look of conflicted sorrow overtaking his expression.

Gently, I placed my hands on each side of his face as my insistence for the truth dissolved into sympathy.

"Edward, I understand that you feel you need to protect me or save me so you can have some sort of closure about your parents' death. And I feel horrible that you're putting all this pressure on yourself, but…" I stopped as tears I could not hold back began to flood my eyes. "Please…please just tell me what's going on."

He stared at me intently as I spoke, and I saw a hint of confusion behind his eyes. He gripped my hands, still holding them to his face and caressed my fingers.

"Finding closure isn't the only reason I protect you, Bella. It kills me to think about you being afraid that something's going to happen to you. I'm protecting you because I'm terrified of losing you. But most of all, I'm doing all this…because I love you."

A breath escaped my lungs in the form of a quiet gasp. At first, I wondered if I was dreaming. That maybe if I squeezed my eyes shut tight enough, I'd wake up. But then his hand reached for my cheek, and the warmth of it on my skin told me it was real.

Edward had just said he loved me.

I couldn't control the blush that crept to my face, and I smiled unabashedly at him.

"I love you too."

He sighed and smiled brightly, appearing to be relieved, and pulled me into an embrace. His lips found mine, and he kissed me gently. He had just given me another gift. I had been told I was loved before but never felt safe enough to believe it.

When Edward said it to me, it was as if he had delivered a rare treasure that would never tarnish nor dull even if I heard the words a thousand more times.

"I'm so sorry I haven't been straightforward with you. You're right. You deserve to know everything, so I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

I nodded. "Good."

**EPOV**

_Scratch, scratch, scratch…_

The quiet but sudden sound of scratching was just loud enough to pull me from sleep. I was immediately annoyed. We had just gone to bed only an hour before, after having spent most of the night talking about the details of the investigation.

Bella was nervous but was also as confused as I was. I informed her about Jessica Stanley and James Dye. As well as Lauren's drug activity and Aro's knowledge of it. She didn't have much input to provide. She was shocked by what I told her, having no clue about Lauren's secret life.

She was scared but tried to put on a brave front. It was easily transparent. Through her insistence that she would be all right, I could see apprehension and fear etched on her face. Her hands trembled and were clammy. I held her on the bed and felt her heart pound in her chest.

Although the level of my anxiety matched hers, I did my best to comfort her, reminding her that she would be safe with me.

The only happiness the evening provided was that I finally told her I loved her. I couldn't let her remain under the assumption that I was only protecting her so I could gain my own personal satisfaction from it. She needed to know that it was about her and my love for her. And I was really fucking happy when she said it back.

_Scratch, scratch, scratch…_

My eyes opened again as I heard the faint noise a second time.

_What the hell is that?_

A mouse. It had to be a mouse, I decided. It was most likely scurrying across the floor in the kitchen or in the cabinets. So I tried to ignore it and looked at Bella, who was sleeping soundly in my arms. I nuzzled my face into her soft hair and closed my eyes.

The scratching sounded again, a little louder than before. My head turned instinctively to the direction from which it came, and I knew it was not coming from the kitchen.

It was coming from the front door.

Delicately so as not to wake her, I untangled my legs from Bella's and quietly slipped from the bed. I didn't care that I was only dressed in boxers. My only concern was getting to my room to retrieve my gun. It was within easy reach as it sat atop the dresser by the door.

I was aware that I could possibly be overreacting. Maybe the sound was no big deal. A cat, a tree branch, a piece of paper blown against the door by the breeze. But it could also be someone, and the scratching noise resembled nails clawing at a chalkboard. All I knew was it was freaking me the fuck out.

I made it to the front door, my gun cocked and ready, and listened. It was silent, except for the sound of my own unsteady breathing. The dead bolt popped when I unlocked it, causing me to jump slightly. I reacted quickly and threw the door open.

At first, I saw nothing but the sky illuminated dimly by the bright moon. Then as my eyes traveled downward, I saw feet and, ultimately, the body of a girl laying facedown at my doorstep.

I panicked and kneeled beside her immediately, setting my gun next to me on the floor. Her left cheek was pressed against the pavement. I tiled my head to get a look at her face and saw that her lips were already turning blue. Her eyes were closed, and her features were devoid of any life. Jessica Stanley was dead.

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**Now is the time to REVIEW!! :) What did you think? How did I do on this one? Did you love it, hate it? Let me know! *hugs and love* --Andy**


	13. The Note

**A/N: I've done it again, I've taken forever. :( But thanks for still loving me and my story! lol You are all so wonderful and great and fuckawesome! None of anything that happens with this story would be possible without you!! I love you all so very much! Please REVIEW!! :)**

**I have so many to thank for this story! I would like to thank Leah42683 for being my sub-beta! I had to rush this because my daughter is sick right now. :( Thanks to all the readers and friends on Twitter! You keep me sane....seriously. :D Enjoy! Don't forget about the Twilighted thread. Link is on my profile! *muah***

Disclaimer: I own nothing. But BC is mine.

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****EPOV**

"_They were going to kill me anyway. May as well die doing something good," _Jessica's cryptic and possible suicide note read.

I looked at the post-it note (that was ironically the color red) as it lay on my desk and buried my head in my hands. It had been pulled from the pocket of Jessica's jacket, and no one knew what the hell it meant, least of all me. I sat still, a motionless figure, the weight of my own turmoil prevalent in my mind.

The entire situation was becoming too much. It had trickled in quickly and now completely consumed me. It was no longer just any other case; it was my life. This conclusion was solidified by the fact that I had dropped my gun at the sight of Jessica's lifeless body. I had been trained to never drop my gun. It was a careless and reckless act that proved my recent inability to think clearly. It was only by luck that no one else had been there, or the coroner may have carted away my dead body too.

And then there was the matter of the note we had found stuffed in Jessica's pocket. A supposed suicide note, although it may not have been one at all. Anybody could have put it there. Only fingerprints and writing comparisons could prove anything conclusively. But if had been written by her, what was its meaning? Was she coming to tell me something? To warn me? Did it have anything to do with my Bella?

These questions whirled around my brain like a fucking tornado.

I heard someone walking towards me and quickly lifted my head to see Mike Newton making his way to my desk. I cleared my throat, pushing my thoughts aside, and picked up the note by its corner to slip it into a small baggie labeled 'evidence'.

"Hey, rookie," he said.

I rolled my eyes.

_Enough with this rookie bullshit already!_

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" I asked.

"Coroner's not sure till they get lab results back, but they think it was some sort of overdose."

"Suicide?"

He shrugged. "Coroner's office doesn't know yet, but it looks like it, in my opinion. I mean, when you add the note to the equation." He stopped, cocking an interrogative eye at me. "Big question is: what was she doing at your place?"

I looked at him, surprised. "I have no idea. Maybe she came to tell me something. Wouldn't be the first time that happened."

"Yeah, but in the middle of the night? Must have been pretty important. And considering they found her car five blocks from the apartment, it's obvious she most likely walked there. How did she know where you live?"

I began to lose my patience. He was asking me questions that I was already asking myself, and each one equally scared the shit out of me.

"Look, Newton, I don't have any answers, alright? I don't know what's going on anymore than you do. This may not have even been a suicide, for God's sake. She could've been left there to warn me, or I don't know, as a way to say that they know about Bella. Hell, Aro's already got half his finger hacked off. He may even be next…or one of us."

Newton put up his hands. "Hey, calm down, man. If someone was trying to come after you and knew where you live, don't you think they would've just out-right killed you? I mean…I would've."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

_What the fuck was that supposed to mean?_

He continued. "All I'm saying is this is looking more and more like suicide to me." He took a step forward and slapped my shoulder. "Don't stress too much. Jessica Stanley was just a strung out druggie." And with that asshole comment, he walked away.

My eyes bore hole into the back of his head. He had no idea the extent of my stress.

In spite of my own immeasurable anxiety, my main priority was still Bella. And she was scared. I knew she'd have questions. So my prevailing thought for the rest of the day was to get home to her quickly.

I arrived home and stared at my front doorstep. In an instant, I felt as though all my nerves were paralyzed. The sight of the pavement where Jessica's body once lay choked me with fear as all the unanswered questions gnawed at me again.

I walked from my car to my door, eyes straight ahead, and let myself in hurriedly.

Bella met me when I entered, immediately pulling me into a desperate hug. My arms automatically wrapped around her small waist, and I buried my face in her soft hair.

She was my only form of sanity.

"What happened? Do you guys know anything?" she asked calmly, pulling away to search my face for answers.

"We don't know what happened yet. We don't even know why she was here. But…they think it may have been a suicide, some kind of overdose."

"They think? Who's 'they'? And what makes them think that?"

"The coroner's office. They won't be sure until they get lab tests back, but we also found…a note," I added hesitantly.

She looked perplexed. "What did it say?"

"It kind of implied that she knew she was going to end up dead and that she may have come here to tell me something."

"And you have no idea what she was coming to say?" Her eyes were darting back and forth in confusion, but she kept her voice calm, trying to conceal the extent of her distress.

I felt like I couldn't look at her. I knew she wanted me to tell her everything, to lay bare all my suspicions and theories. But I also knew that if I did so, I'd be forced to recognize the idea that Jessica may have come to warn Bella.

The thought of her being in danger scared the shit out of me. I felt flooded with fear and anxiety, my resolve to tell her the facts turning to water. I moved away from her and stepped towards the couch, leaning against it.

"I don't know, Bella. Who knows what she was trying to do. I sure as hell don't," I said in a strangled voice.

She closed the distance between us, stopping in front of me and placing her hands on each side of my face.

"Hey, it's okay," she said softly. "You can tell me anything, remember?"

The love and compassion behind her moist eyes made it impossible to withhold anything from her. I gave in and pressed my forehead against hers as unstoppable tears began to form in my own eyes.

"I'm scared, Bella. I'm so fucking scared for you. I can't lose you."

She stroked my face with her delicate fingers as I spoke.

"I know. I'm scared too. But I'm here now, and I love you. As long as I can help it, I'm not going anywhere."

I could see fear etched in her expression, yet there she was, comforting me when it was her life that was at risk. She never ceased to amaze me with her strength.

"I know what you need, what we both need," she said next.

I watched her as she brought one of her hands down to intertwine with one of mine and led me toward the hallway. Anticipation swelled in me as we walked, figuring she was headed to the bedroom. Then she stopped when we reached the bathroom. She turned to look at me, and although she was blushing, a confident grin adorned her lips.

I smirked at her, understanding the purpose behind this gesture. She wanted us to enjoy each other. Forget about everything long enough to relish whatever time we had together. She was right; we needed this. I needed her.

We walked into the bathroom and stood face to face. The quiet intensity that always existed between us filled the confines of the small space the moment she closed the door behind us.

I leaned in to kiss her, craving the feel of her lips on mine. I gripped her waist, pulling her close, and our bodies collided with each other's roughly. We moved our mouths in unison, fervently crushing our lips against one another's.

My dick was already rock hard, straining against the inside of my pants. The sudden feel of the soft tip of her tongue as it dragged along my lower lip caused an uncontrollable moan to escape me. I parted my lips to invite her in, but she abruptly pulled away to plant opened mouth kisses across my neck. My head fell back, and I closed my eyes, savoring the sweet warmth of her lips as they glided over my skin.

I felt her hands at the buttons of my shirt next. She began to undress me slowly, stopping to kiss my chest as she opened my shirt and slipped if off my shoulders.

I kept my hands clutched at her waist the whole time. Even as she undid my pants and they fell to the floor along with my boxers. Desire raced through my body, and I ached for more of her, but I kept it restrained, submitting full control to her.

I no longer felt her mouth on me at that point, and in confusion, I opened my eyes to see her moving away from me. She turned the shower on then stepped back again as she began to remove her clothes. First her shirt, then her white bra, uncovering her perfect, petite breasts. My dick twitched at the sight of them, and my hands ached to reach for them. She then unfastened her jeans and pushed them, and her panties, down to her ankles before kicking them to the side.

I gazed over her naked body, taking in all of her beauty. Every flaw was a perfection in my eyes. Every birthmark or scar she had sustained from either childhood accidents or beatings she had endured from her father were a part of what made Bella who she was. And I adored everything about her.

"I love you, Bella. So much."

"I love you too, and I will show you with every fiber of my being."

With that, I followed as she stepped into the steaming shower. We washed each other's bodies, dragging our soapy hands over every inch, careful not to miss a single spot. I kissed and caressed her breasts, cupped the swell of her soft ass in my hands. I worshipped every part of her as though I couldn't get enough. All the fear of losing her dissipated, and I was content in knowing that right then, she was mine.

Without warning, she lifted her leg and hitched it around my hip. I felt the heat of her pussy graze the head of my cock, and I knew I couldn't wait any longer. I gripped her ass as I pulled her up, and she locked her legs around my waist. She was already moaning, writhing against me as I moved to press her back against the wall of the shower. As the hot water beat down on us, I lined myself up with her entrance and pushed myself into her in one swift movement. She threw her head back and tangled her fingers in my hair, tugging firmly. I stayed still for a moment, loving the feel of being inside her. The tightness and heat that surrounded my cock was enough to almost make me come right then. She continued to grind her hips, begging for more, so I began moving in and out of her slowly, making sure to hit the tender bundle of nerves that would make her scream with pleasure.

It didn't take long before I could feel her walls tighten and clench around me. Her face contorted into an intense but impassioned expression, and a series of moans escaped from her mouth. I moved more vigorously, rolling my hips as I watched her explode in orgasm. She settled after another moment and collapsed her head onto my shoulder.

"You feel so good inside me, Edward," she breathed.

I closed my eyes at her words, growing impossibly harder inside her. I felt her lips at my neck, sucking and nibbling at my wet skin. I knew that I was close to coming, and I sped up my thrusts. She cried out and pulled on my hair, urging me on. My lungs were screaming for air as I pounded into her, unleashing all my love and desire onto her body. I buried my face in the base of her neck as a wave of pleasure surged through me. Every muscle tensed, and the force of my orgasm rocked my entire body. I stood motionless for a moment, holding her to me as I steadied my breathing and settled my heartbeat.

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We lay in bed, my bed this time, memorizing each other's features with the tips of our fingers. Tenderly stroking cheeks, eyelids, and lips, we gazed at one another lovingly. Sadness threatened to creep in numerous times as I looked at her, begging God to not take her away from me, but I pushed it out of my mind. Her birthday was coming up. She would be twenty years old. The thought of taking her on an actual date made me smile for a moment, but then it fell as I was reminded that it would still be best to keep us a secret. The killer was not the only thing that could tear us apart.

_Maybe I could take her away somewhere…Yeah, that could work._

"Bella," I began. She looked at me expectantly. "I'm taking you somewhere for your birthday."

Her smile could have lit up the room.

**BPOV**

I had a meeting with Dr. Honaker a few days later. I was hesitant to go as I was the first time. His calm and pleasant tone was barely effective in making me comfortable. He still had a certain look in his eyes, one that implied that he thought I was mentally unstable in some way. He pressed and pressed until I broke down again. New memories came forth, new visions that I had repressed deep in my mind.

But the strangest occurrence happened when I left his office and entered the elevator…

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**Alright, my many loves! :) Time to review and let me know what you think! You WILL hear from me as always!! I'll be out for a bit, but damnit, you will get that review reply ASAP! LOL :) What did you think of the chapter? Did you hate it, love it? *hugs and love* to you all! -- Andy**


	14. The Elevator

**A/N: This chapter took forever and I have no idea why. lol :) I really hope you like it though! Please REVIEW and let me know what you think! As always, thanks so much for your wonderful reviews and support. And thanks to those that have added this to their alerts or favorites! I love you all so much and you make my FF world go 'round! :)**

**Thanks to - tuleangel - for beta'ing this chapter while my regular beta, AydenMorgen, is on vacation! Check out her profile! Love to my Twitter girls and anyone who has to put up with my endless whining. ;) (you know who you are)**

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Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

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****BPOV**

I sat motionless in Dr. Honaker's office, my body sunk into the seat as he pressed me in the way he had done before. I attempted to evade his questions, using my body language as a means to communicate that I did not want to be there. But I knew I had no choice.

I would do anything to ease Edward's mind; my memories could do just that if I could only find a way to unlock them.

I held onto Edward's voice as he told me that he would take me away for my birthday. His words provided an adequate distraction, but only for a moment. Dr. Honaker soon moved on from the easy questions to the hard ones, and I felt my nerves start to come alive with anxiety.

"I was wondering if you might be willing to tell me a little about your family," he requested.

"Like what?"

"I understand that after your father's death, you had to see a couple doctors?"

I scoffed quietly. "Yeah…'a couple'. That's an understatement."

"More than a couple?" he asked.

I nervously cleared my throat. "I'd say a few."

He gave a nod, letting the subject drop. "Would you say you have any lingering guilt about the way your father died?"

I looked at him, wide eyed and aghast. I shouldn't have been surprised that he was so well informed of my past, but to hear him ask about it so blatantly and nonchalantly made me angry.

"Wouldn't anyone feel guilty if they had killed their own father?" I retorted.

"Why do you use the word 'killed'? You think you killed him?"

"I pulled the trigger."

"Killing implies intent, premeditation," he said.

"I know that." I paused for a moment and took a deep, shaky breath. "No, I didn't plan to kill him."

"Then we're agreed. It was an accident, or self-defense to say it more accurately."

I gave in, nodding slightly and quietly saying, "Right."

He seemed satisfied with that and continued. "Do you have any known siblings?"

"No. I was an only child."

He lowered his head for a moment to scribble unintelligibly in his notepad.

"So are you having any problems with nightmares?" he asked with his head still down.

"I used to…until recently."

…_until Edward came along._

He finally looked at me. "Did these nightmares have to do with your father's death or Lauren's murder…or both maybe?"

I took a death breath, fighting the wave of nausea that hit me. "Both."

"What have you seen in your dreams about Lauren?"

My eyes closed for a moment as I attempted to muster even a spark of courage to continue this. Accepting that any amount of resolve was nonexistent, I looked at Dr. Honaker and forced the words from my mouth.

"I saw the man again, but it wasn't a dream. I was…" I stopped, swallowing roughly. "…at the crime scene, getting my stuff. I saw him, and then I saw myself run and hide in the armoire."

"What made you run so quickly? What was it about this man that terrified you so much?"

I inhaled sharply, wincing in pain as I felt as if a vice had been clamped on my lungs.

"It was like he was waiting for someone, but he didn't want to be seen. I could feel it and see it in the way he just…stood there. Like…some kind of maniac." My voice broke at the end.

My whole frame began to shake with fear. He was there again, in my mind. I saw him standing in front of me, ready to torment me. My heart seemed to plummet to the pit of my stomach.

"Can you tell me what he looks like, Bella?" Dr. Honaker asked gently.

I shook my head, not out of denial, but as a desperate attempt to repel the fear from my head. I felt the warmth of unexpected tears as they began to fall down my cheeks. In spite of all this, I dug deep in my memories and tried to see the man's face. I sat, trembling and quiet, focusing all my energy on his individual features. Something was keeping me from getting a decent look, I couldn't see anything.

I buried my head in my hands and suddenly recalled, "He wasn't looking at me!"

My breathing halted abruptly. My body froze, and the tears stopped.

_He wasn't looking at me…_

"Excuse me?" Dr. Honaker asked, obviously more out of shock; I had spoken clearly and loud enough to be understood.

I knew I was having an epiphany, and as much as it terrified me to do so, I clung to it. Closing my eyes, I drifted back to that day. The day I saw the faceless man; although, now I knew why he had no face. He had been turned away from me. I could see him as I glanced out of the window in the kitchen, strategically standing by the front door, laying in wait. There was something glistening in the sun, and my eyes wandered downward. I saw the silver blade of a knife as he held it in his hand and concealed it behind his back. Then I ran.

I fled to the armoire…and he didn't see me.

"I said, 'he wasn't looking at me.'," I repeated slowly, stunned as every syllable left my lips.

"He never saw you? Are you sure about that? You had previously stated he was watching you," he pointed out.

My eyes grew wide, and I could feel the severity in my expression.

"I was wrong."

I folded my arms over my chest, cradling myself. Hurriedly, I left Dr. Honaker's office, anxious to seek comfort and solace from Edward, who I knew would be waiting for me.

The elevator was empty when I entered it, much to my relief. I welcomed the opportunity to process what had just occurred. I may not have recalled anything of vital importance, but I still felt marginally satisfied.

The man, the monster, had not seen me after all. My only theory as to why I had been mistaken about this was that my subconscious created a false situation out of fear. I had been terrified of being discovered, therefore, I began to believe that I had been spotted. I dwelled on these thoughts as I leaned against the back of the elevator, eyes closed.

A sudden sound jolted me, and my eyes snapped open. The door had been closing, and then a hand shot in front of it, stopping its movement. The insistent pound of the hand meeting the door startled me, and I stood upright quickly.

A man stepped inside. He was seemingly in a hurry as his demeanor was tense. I wasn't immediately uneasy because he neither lifted his head nor looked at me. He just stood next to me, straight and stiff, his features hidden by a baseball cap that he kept pulled down low.

**3rd Person POV**

His anger burned as he stood beside her. All the rage and hate he felt for her threatened to spill out on his fingertips as he fought the urge to wrap his hands around her throat and choke the life out of her. It would be easy, and he knew it. She was small and no match for him. It would be quick.

_Not here, not now…Soon_, he told himself.

He balled his hands into fists, hard enough that his stubby nails dug into the flesh of his palms. Her unease was emanating off of her in waves, and he could feel her eyeing him. This only added to his anger. She was looking at him, wondering what his problem was.

His sole purpose in coming to the office had been to see her up close, take in her features, and remind himself of why he was doing this. Instead, he was fighting the vicious desire to end it right then and there; rid himself of the weight of his immense hate.

She stayed still, oblivious, as he attempted to control his hands from acting out their murderous fantasies.

**BPOV**

I would steal a peek at the guy in the elevator sporadically, but he refused to acknowledge my presence. Not that I wanted him to; I just couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he was angry…with me. If only he would glance at me, even smile, it would maybe diminish this uncomfortable feeling. But the notion that he had a problem with me was ridiculous. Perhaps he had come from his own emotional therapy session and was feeling the remnants of it as I was.

_Yes, that's all it is, most likely…_

The 'ding' of the elevator made me jump for the second time during this encounter, and the doors began to part. The mysterious man darted out before they were even fully open. With his head still down, he breezed past Edward, who was waiting for me in the foyer. He then pushed the front door open and disappeared into daylight.

Two days later, I was in Edward's car on the way to a town called Port Angeles to celebrate my twentieth birthday. He didn't tell me where we were going nor did I ask. He wanted to surprise me, and that was fine with me.

We didn't talk about Lauren or anything to do with case. I didn't mention the man I saw either. At the time, it didn't seem to be a situation that was of any significance, so the thought to tell Edward about it never entered my mind.

I did ask him whether the lab results had come back regarding Jessica's cause of death.

"No," he answered. "It's too soon to know."

I thought he was finished, then he added, "But they did find a dirty syringe under her passenger seat that had a trickle of morphine left in it. They're testing that for DNA."

The tone with which he spoke made it clear that he wanted this to be a night where we focused solely on each other, so I let the subject die.

He held my hand during the entire forty minute drive, keeping only one hand on the wheel even as we weaved down the winding roads.

I couldn't help but watch him. Not only because of the tranquil expression on his face, but also because he made me feel the same way. I blushed and grinned when he caught me looking at him. He gave a reassuring smile, shaking his head slightly in amusement and squeezing my hand tighter. This only made me blush more.

The magnitude of his beauty never failed to baffle me.

We first went to a second hand bookstore, and my cheeks burned red again as I realized that he must have taken notice of my liking to his books.

"I cleared off a space on my bookshelf just for you," he said.

I couldn't form a coherent thought. It was such a simple act, but it said so much. I was no longer just staying in his home, but living there. With him.

"Thank you," I uttered shakily, unable to say more.

He held onto my waist as I scanned the endless isles of aged books. I found some of my favorites: _The Novice_, _The Bell Jar_, _Les Miserables_. My face lit up each time I lifted one from the shelf and Edward's expression mirrored mine. It was as if he was experiencing his own joy just by watching me.

He took me to dinner next at a little Italian restaurant where he requested that we be seated in a booth in the back. We sat beside each other with our backs to the other diners, lost in our own world.

"Are you having fun, Bella? I'm sorry I didn't plan much," he said as he caressed my arm.

I glanced up at him. "I've only had one birthday party my entire life and that was when I was a kid. So this is more than I could've ever asked for."

He placed a finger under my chin and leaned in to kiss me, soft and tenderly. The feel of his lips left me dazed, almost triggering vertigo. My heart fluttered wildly in my chest.

"Ready to go home?" he asked quietly against my mouth.

"Yes."

We came home to find the sky dark and a dirty gray, with silver streaks in it that hinted at the moon trying to peek through the clouds. My body craved sleep, but my smile never faded. I was exhausted after the long evening, but I loved every minute of it.

Edward parked the car and walked to the passenger side, opening the door for me.

"We'll have to go back to that bookstore soon. It's gonna take a shit load of books to fill up that shelf," he said with a laugh.

"You just don't want me to keep stealing yours." I chuckled.

"I already told you, Bella, you can do whatever you want. I don't care if you use my things. Everything I have is practically yours now anyway."

We locked eyes for a moment, a smile playing on both of our mouths as we silently communicated our love for each other. Just then, I heard the sound of paper flapping in the night air. Edward heard it too, and our attention turned to the front door of the apartment.

There was something white taped to it. Edward started walking toward it first, and I followed behind, my hand in his. I felt nothing as we stepped closer to the door. My mind was devoid of any ideas as to what the piece of paper was. All I knew was that it had been deliberately placed there.

We stopped in front of it, and I reached out my hand to flatten it to the door, so I could better read the black writing.

"Don't touch it," Edward said abruptly.

My hand snapped back, and Edward stepped inches away from it. For a moment, the note sat motionless, and my breath caught in my throat as I read the words printed on it.

_"I see you."_

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**Now that you've read it, let me know who you think left the note! Please REVIEW and let me read your thoughts! :) Love you all! *hugs* -- Andy**


	15. The Car

**A/N: I just want to say how much I love and appreciate every single one of you for reading this story. It means so much to me, and I could never begin to thank you enough. The motivation to even write is not there sometimes, but then I think of all my wonderful readers and it makes me excited all over again! Thanks so much for alerting/favoriting/recommending Bedroom Confessions. Without you, this story would not be what it is now. :) Please leave me a REVIEW and let me know what you think of this chapter -- it was a tough one to write. I love you all!**

**Thanks so much to my beta, AydenMorgen, for always being there for me. You seriously have made me a much better writer! Please read her fic, Empty Panes & Pretty Things! I love all my peoples on Twitter! You make me laugh, smile, blush...so much! :)**

**I have two recs for you this chapter -- One of my besties, Jewels64, some great fics you can check out. Her new one, Shipwrecked, looks great! And one of my other besties, Whitney Love, has a fic called The Best Man that is smuttastic! :)**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**

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****EPOV**

The joy of Bella's birthday had been obliterated with three words. She cried that night, loud and hard as I held her on my bed. Her body quivered involuntarily in my arms as though it was on the verge of giving out completely. There was nothing I could do. I held back my own tears, determined to remain strong and just be there for her.

She needed this. She had grown accustomed to trauma and sadness yet had never felt safe enough to express herself. So I sat quiet and still, enduring the heartbreaking sound of her weeping as it echoed throughout the dark room.

Eventually, she began to speak, and I tilted my head in a useless effort to understand her incoherent ramblings. She gradually calmed down enough for me to begin to understand her. I was able to pick up on certain phrases, all of which made my throat burn with sorrow.

"I shouldn't be here," she cried. "I should just leave. What the hell does he want? Or she or whoever the hell this is? I'm putting you in danger just by being here."

The speed at which the words left her mouth made it impossible to comprehend them at first. But even as they sunk in, my brain struggled to process their meaning. I was at a loss. The girl I loved so much was worried about me, about my well-being. She felt safe and secure with me, yet she would leave if it meant that I would live.

I shook my head. "As if I'd let you go anywhere without me, Bella," I said without hesitation.

Her body's shaking slowed to a tremble, and she lifted her head from my chest. Her eyes searched for mine in the faint light. I fought a gasp that threatened to escape me when I saw the puffiness of her eyelids. The light coming in from the blinds reflected off of her tear streaked cheeks.

"You love me that much? Enough that you'd run away with me?" she asked.

"If it came to that, yes. But you should know by now that you can't get rid of me so easily."

She sighed and lightly nodded. "I know," she whispered.

Gently, I placed my hand to her cheek. We stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. The rest of her beautiful features only dimly registered as her brown eyes were mesmerizing, and I felt as though I were suspended on a cloud.

Without another word, I closed the distance between our faces, and my lips met hers. I moved down on the bed and turned onto my side so that my body was fully pressed against her. It was though all the fear and anxiety Bella felt flowed through her in the form of passion as she tugged at my hair and sucked my bottom lip into her mouth.

The sensation of this alone caused an involuntary stirring in my pants. I groaned and moved one of my hands up her body. It stopped at the peak of her breast. She arched her back at my touch, releasing my mouth and throwing her head back with a moan.

I kneaded her breast with my palm, and although she still wore her shirt and bra, I could feel her erect nipple under my thumb. With desperation, I moved my mouth from the soft skin of her neck, down to her chest, then back up again.

Her breaths were coming in pants, and she began to lightly grind her pelvis against my painfully hard dick. My eyes fell closed. I pressed my face into the crook of her neck and matched her movements, rolling my hips with hers in unison.

She hitched her leg around my waist, and that was the moment I lost control. I rolled us over until I was settled between her thighs and hovering over her. Our hands met at the hemline of her shirt, and I helped her pull it over her head. Her bra came off next. Leaning back on my heels, I couldn't help but gaze at her bare chest, her pale, almost translucent skin, and her perfectly round, candy pink nipples. I dropped the bra to the floor, and yanked at her pants until they slid off of her slender hips.

"Edward, please…" she suddenly whispered.

I raised my head to look at her. "What do you need, love?"

"You," she answered.

I sighed and stared intently into her eyes while slipping my fingers under the waistband of her panties. "You have me; all of me. I'm yours."

She let out a moan as I quickly freed her body of the last of its clothing. Then she was naked, lying in front of me in all her delicate beauty. Shallow breaths escaped my lips as my hands ghosted over her exquisite form, from her shoulders down to her thighs.

My eyes stayed locked on hers as I stood to remove my own clothes then blindly threw them to the floor. All of my impatient movements were a blur until I returned to the bed and pulled Bella to me tightly. I needed her, ached for her. The constant fear of losing her only intensified these feelings, and I found myself denouncing God unless He let me keep her forever.

I laid next to her, tenderly grazing my lips across her forehead. My hand glided over her hip, down her thigh, then cupped her leg behind the knee and pulled it up, draping it over my waist. She hooked her leg around me tightly like a clamp, holding me to her as I raised her up on the bed and pressed my mouth against her neck.

Closing my eyes, I thrust into her with a groan. She released a gasp and dug her nails into my back, which caused me to pull in and out of her urgently.

"I love you, Edward," she breathed.

I moaned at her words. "I love you too. So fucking much, Bella."

She moved her hips along with mine as her heavy breaths blew across my hair, sending chills down my spine in a wave. I struggled to keep my momentum steady and gentle, but my distressed state of mind forced me to move with immense desperation.

My mouth found one of her breasts, and I sucked the nipple into my mouth, swirling my tongue around it as she gripped my back tighter. Her leg was as tight as a vice on my hip, and suddenly I felt the walls of her pussy constrict around me. Her head fell back against the pillow. The room echoed with the sound of her loud whimpers as her body quivered and she came on my cock.

I planted a trail of hot kisses along her neck and down to her breasts. The tension in her body and the pressure from her leg lessened. She continued to roll her hips with me, urging me to continue until I reached my own release. I could feel it coming quickly.

I grunted and pounded into her while moving my hands down to her waist where I held her firmly. The intensity of my climax left me unable to make a sound. Instead, I leaned my head back and breathed deeply, clenching my eyes shut as my entire body shuddered in pleasure.

I stopped moving a moment later. Exhausted, I brought my head down to rest on her soft chest but still clung to her tightly. Silence fell between us in the dark room as we both regained our composure, and I could hear her heart rate gradually steady.

"Happy birthday, Bella," I whispered against her skin.

xxxxxxxxxxx

I walked into the station the next Monday morning on edge. With my shoulders slumped and tension written all over my face, I walked directly to the office of Sergeant Banner. He had made arrangements over the weekend to have an off-duty police officer remain at my apartment as a security guard of sorts until I came home in the evening. This hardly seemed enough to me. No one cared about Bella as much as I did, therefore, I didn't trust her life in the hands of anyone else.

I wanted to speak to the Sergeant alone, to inform him that I needed some time off so I could watch over Bella myself. I didn't care if I was paid or not. Going to work and leaving her under the care of someone else was not something I could bear to do.

Unfortunately, Mike Newton was sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk. They both looked at me as I stepped inside.

"Cullen," Sergeant Banner addressed me before I could say anything. "Glad you're here. We've got some things to go over."

Without a word, I sat in the other chair next to Newton and listened as the sergeant began speaking.

"We got Jessica Stanley's preliminary report back." He opened a thick file that I could see contained photographs (both black and white as well as color) and documents written in indecipherable handwriting.

"First of all, her death has been ruled as a suicide. Massive amounts of not only morphine but LSD were found in her system."

"How does that prove suicide?" Newton suddenly chimed in.

"Keep your pants on, Newton. I'm getting to that," Sergeant Banner retorted.

In spite of my tense state, I had to hold back a chuckle.

"The syringe and the note were tested for fingerprints. Hers were the only ones found on both." He flipped to another page in the file. "He also points out that there were no defensive wounds on her. No bruising, such as on her arms or legs. In fact, the only wound he found was a clean puncture wound in the arm from the needle. This indicates that the injection of the drugs wasn't forced. And, of course, her DNA was found on the needle itself."

He closed the file and looked at me and Newton. My demeanor remained rigid. Fighting to contain control of myself, I clamped my hands together. The announcement of suicide was anything but satisfying. The matter of the note still haunted me…amongst other things.

How the mother fucker found out where I lived was weighing most heavily on my mind.

As Sergeant Banner droned on and Mike Newton nodded in feigned interest, I knew I couldn't stand to be there much longer.

My heart rate accelerated, and the room seemed to close in on me, threatening to hold me hostage there.

"Sergeant Banner," I said.

He looked slightly surprised by my interruption, and his head snapped in my direction. "Yeah, Cullen?"

I swallowed hard. "I was wondering if I could maybe take some time off…paid or not?"

His expression turned from simple surprise to complete shock. "Excuse me? You're asking for time off in the middle of an active case? What do you need time off for?"

"Well, I…" I stumbled for the words. I wanted to avoid giving any indication as to the nature of my relationship with Bella, so I chose my words carefully. "I want to be the one to watch over Bella. I just feel like it's my responsibility since it's my home she's staying at."

I could see Sergeant Banner's lips part as he was about to speak, but then the voice of Mike Newton filled my ears.

"Is that really it, Cullen? You feel like it's your responsibility?" My hands balled into tight fists as he continued. "I mean, you completely support the girl. Buy her food; give her a place to stay. Why are you doing so much for her? Unless you're just supporting your cock so she can suck it."

My movements barely registered as I flew out of my seat and lunged at him. I only heard the sound of his chair as it crashed to the floor. I could recall the feeling of pain as it spread across my knuckles and the sudden warmth of blood on them as my fist connected with his nose. He cried out like a kid as I laid into him, breaking his nose and popping him in the eye.

Before I had a chance to process what was taking place, I felt four pairs of hands on me, struggling to pull me off of Newton.

"Fucking son of a bitch! You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" I heard myself yell at him.

Newton remained on the floor as the men, whose faces I didn't see, got me to my feet. Blood seeped from between his fingers as he clutched his injured face. Bewilderment laced with pain was clear in his eyes. He said nothing while the room erupted with the booming shouts of me and the surrounding men. I was promptly pulled out of the room and herded to another small office nearby as I continued screaming, ranting at Newton.

"I'm gonna beat your ass, mother fucker! Fuck you!"

"Cullen, Cullen! That's enough!"

Suddenly, Sergeant Banner was in front of me, his angry face filling my vision.

"Calm down, damn it!" he demanded.

The hands that were pulling at me were gone. I glanced around the room as the last remnant of adrenaline coursed its way through my veins, and I snapped out of my rage. I saw that the door had been closed, and I was alone in the room with the sergeant.

He started to pace the floor, mumbling quietly that the entire case was getting out of hand.

"…don't know what I'm gonna do with you," he uttered.

He looked at me then and pointedly said, "I'm willing to give you some time off, kid. One reason being that you look stressed out as hell, and secondly, I can't have people fighting around here."

I sighed deeply and leaned against one of the chairs. "I'm sorry about that, sir. I don't know what got into me," I lied.

He scoffed. "I do. That prick got to you, that's what."

I looked down at the floor and nodded.

I felt relieved that I had finally done what I'd wanted to do for months, which was beat the shit out of Mike Newton. He had crossed a line. I could withstand anything he threw at me, but the moment his words touched the subject of Bella was the moment I could no longer hold back. And the only damage I incurred was an aching fist.

"Look, just get out of here. We'll figure everything out and get you back to work in a few days."

I didn't know when I'd be back. The thought of running away with Bella was becoming increasingly prevalent in my mind.

I drove to my apartment in a daze. The tension generated by what my life had become threw me into a constant state of exhaustion. I kept my eyes focused on the repetitive yellow lines and watched as familiar cars I would see around town passed me by.

I was five minutes from home when I saw the black, beat-up old car. It wasn't immediately suspicious, but as it flew by me, the driver's face seemed to spark some familiarity.

I felt as though I'd seen that same baseball cap somewhere before.

Paranoia abruptly flooded my senses, and I pushed the gas pedal harder. I pulled into my parking lot to find a scene of absolute chaos.

I peered through my windshield. My front door was damaged and stood wide open. The man assigned to watch over Bella was lying on the ground in a pool of blood three feet from the empty doorway.

Tears stung my eyes as I exited the car slowly, terrified of what I might find next. As I walked by the off-duty cop, I could see a gaping puncture wound in the side of his neck. The massive amount of blood that surrounded him told me he was already dead. I prayed for the second time in my life, mumbling incoherently as I stepped inside my opened door.

At first glance, nothing seemed out of place but for a trail of blood that had been carried in from outside. My feet quickened pace when I didn't find her in the living room. I darted from room to room, but Bella was nowhere to be found.

I stood panicked, frozen as the tears that had been flooding my eyes finally began to fall. The room almost seemed to be spinning, and I wracked my brain for something, anything of use.

The car…

The man driving the old, black car…

Stepping on the trail of still fresh blood, I fled back to my Volvo. The engine roared to life, and I began to give chase.

I didn't know if this car would lead me to Bella. I didn't know if I would ever see her again at all. But I had to try, and the distant memory of a man coming off an elevator was all I had to go on.

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	16. The Maintenance Man

**A/N: This is a short one. This is what Edward came home to in the previous chapter, plus a bit of aftermath from Bella's point of view. :) I hope you enjoy it! Thanks as always to those who read/alerted/favorited/recommend this story! I love you all for it! Thanks to those that have reviewed and let me read your thoughts! I'm so glad to have talked with you all!**

**I would like to thank my fabulous beta AydenMorgen for all you encouragement and awesomeness! Read her fic! Thanks to all my friends on Twitter for your friendship!**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**

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****BPOV**

I watched as the man outside paced back and forth along the porch, his eyes downcast, and I knew he didn't want to be there. I didn't want him there either. He had been placed there for my protection, but I didn't feel protected at all.

He wasn't Edward. And Edward was the only person that I felt safe with.

The off duty cop had knocked at the door minutes after Edward left and attempted small talk by making inane comments about the case.

"I'm sure they'll get this mess sorted soon, Miss," he said.

His statement lacked any depth of emotion or concern, which did not surprise me at all. He didn't understand the severity of what was happening…or he simply didn't care to.

I gave a quick nod. "I hope so," I choked out, my voice strangled with constant sadness.

My eyes remained puffy throughout that morning; tears had been falling since the moment I watched Edward's car leave the parking lot. Besides being terrified, I was also assailed with a horrible sense of guilt since the night we found the note taped to the door.

Guilt that I was there in his home and guilt that I was even alive. No one had ever benefited from my existence. A girl I barely knew was dead, and I began to fear that it was my fault in some way.

And then there was Edward.

I felt as though I had not only become his lover but also his curse. He was growing increasingly distressed and off-balanced every day. His disequilibrium was displayed in his constant fatigue, lack of sleep, and the tension that coursed through every muscle in his body. I couldn't bring myself to regret the fact that I had fallen in love with him, but I hated myself for it nevertheless. I knew I was a danger to him, but I couldn't let him go.

He had left that morning with the promise that he'd get out of work and be back soon. I just nodded as no response would come to me. The thought of him leaving at all made my legs weak, and I felt on the verge of collapse. So I stood quiet, kissed him goodbye, then let the tears flow freely once he was out of sight.

But for the occasional tweet of a bird in the near distance, silence reigned throughout the apartment as I watched out the window. I found myself almost envious of their uncomplicated lives.

Out of sheer exhaustion, my eyes eventually began to close as I sat on the couch. I was sleeping lightly when the sound of wheels rolling over the pavement startled me. My head snapped up instantly, and I peeked out the window. Coming in the direction of the apartment was a maintenance man, dressed in a pair of dirty gray coveralls. Without any sense of urgency, he was pulling an old cart that I could see housed tools and various other supplies.

He kept his head down, and he wore a baseball cap.

My eyes widened. I had seen that hat before. My thoughts suddenly drifted back to the day when I left my meeting with Dr. Honaker, and I had shared the elevator with the strange man. My breathing accelerated and my pulse raced as I clumsily moved away from the window, stumbling as I made my way to the door.

I reached for the doorknob but was met with the sounds of voices on the other side. I froze.

"Can I help you?" I heard the officer ask the man.

I could hear the pound of my heart in my ears and could feel shallow gasps escaping my lungs. With shaky and terrified movements, I slowly raised my head to the peephole and saw the two men standing face to face. Through the tunnel vision of the tiny hole, I saw the man turn around as if to grab something from his cart.

"I have a work order here to fix the…"

He didn't finish his sentence. He raised his hand, and for a split second, I saw a long, shiny, pointed object clasped in his fingers. It looked like some sort of ice pick with the end slightly bent like a small hook.

I wanted to scream, but no sound would come out. My hand clapped over my mouth as the man swung the sharp object through the air.

The cop had no time to react. He just stood there. Right before the pointed end buried itself in his neck, his eyes held a flicker of fear then widened at the impact of the blow.

Blood exploded from the wound, and suddenly the peephole was sprayed with red droplets. I could barely see through the haze, but I watched the cop's body convulse as he clutched at his neck, blood spilling from between his fingers.

All of this could have lasted seconds; I'd never be sure. Time ceased to exist the moment the man raised his hand. I couldn't hear anything, could hardly feel anything. I just watched the ghastly scene unfold before me.

The cop continued to grope at the ice pick as if he were trying to pull it completely out through the other side. As he did this, the man pried it from his neck, and I heard the body drop to the ground with a thud. He stared down at the officer for a moment, as if surveying his work or possibly just making sure he was dead.

Suddenly, I heard a whimper, and I didn't grasp at first that it came from me until the man's head snapped in the direction of the door. I stumbled back. My legs were like jello and were unable to hold my weight any longer.

As I clambered away in a desperate attempt to reach the phone, I heard the pound of his feet as he ferociously kicked at the door. Screams erupted from my chest. With every kick, I knew I was closer and closer to death.

I had made it to the phone and was attempting to stand when the door finally gave way, bursting open with a crash. We were both still for a moment as he stared down at me.

The bloody ice pick dangled from his fingers. I heard drops of blood pattering on the threshold like the sound of a leaky water pipe.

He started to move toward me, and I was suddenly gasping for air. I knew there was no point in screaming for help. Immense fear had rendered my vocal cords useless anyway.

He stopped at my feet. Tears streamed down my face as I looked up at him, silently pleading for him to leave me alone. I glanced passed him at one point, into the parking lot, hoping with every fiber in my being that Edward's car would appear. But it stayed empty, and I waited for the ice pick to impale me.

Instead, he grabbed me by the shirt and yanked me up. His bloody hand wound around my neck, and swung me around to press my back to his chest. I clawed at his fingers, digging my nails into his flesh as I thrashed and kicked my feet. He held me to him firmly.

He brought up the hand that still held the ice pick, and I stopped breathing altogether. Then I saw the white color of a sort of cloth coming at my face. I shook my head wildly, but it covered my nose and mouth.

Dizziness set in almost immediately as I inhaled. My vision became murky, and my hands dropped to my side. Everything went black, and I was unconscious within a minute.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I awoke to the feel of my head pounding. My eyes opened, and I tried to scan my surroundings, but the room was spinning. I knew I sitting on a hard floor. I could see aged wood, a dilapidated ceiling…and the legs of a man as he stood in front of me. I was still trying to clear my head when he started speaking.

"I've been waiting for you to wake up, Bella."

I cowered at the sound of his calm, almost conversational tone. The room was dark, and his features were still unclear to me. I blinked back tears as they only made my vision worse. He watched me as I tried to move away from him. But I had nowhere to go. I was in a corner, and my hands were tied.

I gave up and became paralyzed with fear, hardly able to breathe.

"What do you want from me?" I uttered in a whisper.

No response. He only stared at me blankly.

"Who are you?" I asked, a little louder.

He scoffed. "I know you don't really care to know my name, Bella. Our father didn't care to know either."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. I couldn't form any coherent thoughts or conclusions pertaining to what he had just said. Only two words rang clearly in my mind.

_Our father?_

"Wha--"

Just then, I heard a car careen to a stop outside. I turned my head in the direction of the sound. Although I couldn't see, I knew it was Edward, and relief washed over me immediately. A single tear slid down my cheek, and a smile crept to my lips. This was finally going to be over. Edward was there, and I would be safe.

I looked back to the man with an almost triumphant expression but was surprised to see a grin playing on his face. His attention was focused outside, on Edward's car.

"So he's finally here…" he said quietly.

I started to panic again. He seemed almost pleased at this turn of events, as though he had been expecting Edward to arrive. Nausea suddenly set in, and I fought back the bile that threatened to rise to my throat.

He brought his eyes back down to me. "Now…everything is perfect."

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**Now I know you must have something on your mind now that the man has spoken! ;) Let me know! REVIEW! :D I love you guys!**

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	17. The House

**A/N: This was a fun and exciting chapter to write...but it was not easy. lol Which is why it has taken so long! :) So I apologize once again for how long this took, but I hope you like it! I love you all of course for being so patient with me. You mean so much to me, and I love you sooooo hard! :) Please remember to REVIEW and let me know what you think of the chapter! -hugs-**

**I have a few people to thank this time around - My sub beta Maggieloo402 for doing such a great job for me! My reg beta AydenMorgen for helping me with the chapter, Tilly Whitlock for all of her advice, and Kharizzmatik for her help with certain bits of the chapter as well! :) -hugs and kisses to you ladies-**

Disclaimer: SM owns all.

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****Five Years Earlier - 3rd Person Point of View**

It was just after New Year's, and a thirteen year old boy walked up to the repair shop where his father worked. He was nervous as he had never met the man before, but he tried to hold his head high, determined to finally introduce himself after waiting to do so for months.

He knew it wouldn't be easy. Charlie Swan had never expressed any interest in knowing him. He, in fact, did not know much about Charlie Swan either. His mother had been careful to share few details about him. His place of employment had slipped out during a late night drinking fest, in which she became so intoxicated that she also told him that Charlie had a fourteen year old daughter.

"So, he has a daughter that lives with him, but he doesn't care to even meet me?" the boy asked his mother, incredulously.

" 'Bout right," she answered as she sat on the couch and sipped from a bottle.

His eyes fell to the floor. Hurt, rejection, and even jealously immediately surged through him. It angered him that this daughter, who was only a year older than he was, lived with their father and could see him everyday…and knew him.

"What's her name?" he uttered quietly, fighting back the conflicting emotions he felt.

There was no response. His mother was passed out on the couch by the time he asked.

It had taken him months to muster even a spark of courage to head to the small repair shop where his father worked. He spotted a dark haired man with his head buried under the hood of a truck as he approached the garage of the shop.

He stopped a few feet away and spoke over the loud music that was blaring from inside.

"Excuse me?"

The man stood straight and turned around. The expression on his face caused the boy to take a step back. He appeared almost angry.

"Yeah? Can I help you?" the man asked lazily.

"Uh," he began, attempting to regain his composure. "I'm looking for Charlie Swan."

"That's me. What do ya need?" His tone, while sluggish, was stern. It was intimidating, and the boy momentarily considered abandoning the meeting altogether.

Instead, he stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and took a deep breath. "Well, you don't know me, but I just wanted to meet you…since I'm your son."

Charlie stared at him for a moment before shaking his head and scoffing. "You think I don't know who you are? I know who you are. Your damn mother sends me a picture of you every year, hoping I'll give a rat's ass about you one day."

_Actually, I'm pretty sure she does it just to annoy you_, he thought to himself sadly.

"I'll save you the grief right now, kid, before you even say anything else." Charlie took a step forward, a menacing look on his face. "I don't give a shit, and I never will." With that, he turned to walk away.

"What about your daughter?" the boy asked bitterly, unable to hold back. "You give a shit about her."

Charlie stopped and whirled around in anger, rage evident in his eyes. "You stay the hell away from her and from me, ya hear? You will never know Bella."

_Bella…_

His hands balled into fists as he watched his father turn from him again and walk inside the shop.

His suspicions had been confirmed. His father loved someone, and that person would never be him. He now knew that another person, a fourteen year old girl, had been chosen over him. Anger that seemed to rapidly overtake him like some kind of disease was directed at only her from that point forward. He pounded his feet on the pavement as he walked home while images of Bella and their father assaulted his mind.

He saw them laughing together, and his eyes narrowed. He saw them embracing with smiles on their faces, and his jaw clenched tightly.

While his alcoholic mother continued to be evasive about Charlie and spend her nights away with random men, the boy's anger grew. He occasionally searched his mother's room for an address or a phone number, anything that could provide a way of communication with his father. He always left empty handed.

He tried to reason with himself and understand why he cared to know a father that clearly didn't care to know him. He never came up with an explanation.

Rather than subsiding, his obsession with meeting his father worsened over the next several months. He walked around like a zombie, his mother and friends disconnected from his own existence. Although his expression was almost serene, the nubs of his fingernails had bore permanent indentions into his palms from constantly clenching his fists. He was mad as hell.

It was almost a year after the brief confrontation with his father when he saw the small article in the paper.

"_A local Phoenix man by the name of Charles Swan died over the weekend after suffering a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. Authorities say his 15 year old daughter was in the home with him but are not commenting any further except to say that the incident happened at around 10 p.m. on Friday night…"_

He stared at the black print in a daze. Everything he had hoped for died as he read. His father was gone, and suddenly he was numb. It took only a moment before questions started to flood his brain. Why? How? What happened?

He dropped the paper and slumped in his seat, unsure of how to feel.

"I guess you saw, huh?" His mother's voice surprised him, and his head snapped in her direction. "About your father?"

"Yeah," he answered dismally.

"Well, I'd say I'm sorry, but the bastard had it coming."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

She already had a beer in hand and was most likely well on her way to being fully intoxicated.

"They're saying it was the daughter that shot him," she added.

His eyes widened. "What?"

"You heard me," she said quietly before taking a drink from the can.

The numbness was replaced with rage in an instant. Confusion also set in, and he creased his brow. The only person Charlie Swan had loved was also the person that took his life, and he couldn't fathom why.

Without another word, he stood from the chair and hurried to the front door. He couldn't bear to sit in that house any longer. He needed to move and think, process what he'd just heard. As he walked down the sidewalk in his seedy neighborhood, all he could see was the image of a girl he'd never met, and he hated her.

"Bella…" he whispered into the night with disdain.

He could feel a sudden desire begin to burn within him. In that moment, he wanted to hurt her for taking away his father, for taking away his chance to find someone who would truly love him. In that moment, he vowed revenge.

**EPOV**

I drove around that fucking town in a panic. The black car had disappeared by the time I pulled onto the street. I collected myself long enough to call in the dead officer and give a description of the vehicle I was pursuing, then I just drove.

I went down every street and ally, scanning any spot that was large enough to accommodate a car. Twenty minutes went by, and the small spark of hope I had felt was dwindling to nothing.

I could feel the dampness of sweat as it accumulated on my forehead, but I knew the entirety of my face was ice-cold, devoid of any warmth of blood. I still felt the tears falling, even though I made no sound. My lungs seem to be incapable of taking a breath, making my vocal cords useless.

I turned onto a desolate street near the outskirts of town that only contained a few run-down houses and old barns. In front of the last house, clear as day, sat the car. I had no initial reaction. I only stared at it, astounded that the driver made no attempt to conceal it. I scrutinized this fact, and paranoia gripped me immediately.

_Why would he not hide the car? _

I didn't know the answer, but I knew there were two things I had to do before exiting my Volvo.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

As I stepped outside of my car, I was met with an immense silence that was in complete contrast with the deafening chaos that was happening in my mind. It was too quiet, and I became fearful of what I'd find when I went inside the dilapidated house. I drew in a quick breath and blinked hard, forcing myself to focus as I pulled my pistol from its holster. With the gun positioned in front of me and ready to fire, I walked stealthily to the open doorway.

I wasn't prepared for what I'd see when I reached the threshold.

I had began the walk to the house with a singleness of purpose, determined to end it all and get Bella back. But I gaped in horror at what I saw once I reached it.

The man in the cap held Bella tightly to himself. Her back was against his chest, and one of his hands was at her neck. The other hand was pressing the barrel of a gun to her cheek.

"Don't even fucking think about it. Put that gun on the floor," he said.

I couldn't respond. I looked at Bella and saw that her beautiful brown eyes were swollen from crying and full of fear. In that moment, I feared that I had failed. Even if I put down my gun, I knew there was no guarantee that he'd let her live.

Without thinking, I took a step forward, desperate to get to her.

"Drop the fucking gun!" the man yelled.

I raised one of my hands. "Okay. Calm down. I'll put it on the floor. Just don't hurt her." I leaned down slightly but still held the gun firmly in my other hand.

"I'm sure we don't have much time before we're interrupted."

"I didn't call anybody. I swear," I said, shaking my head.

He scoffed. "You expect me to believe that?"

I knew I had to convince him. "I swear on my parents' graves that I did not call the police."

He stared at me intensely for a moment, as though he was deciding whether or not I was lying to him.

"Why? Why are you doing this? And why Lauren?" Bella suddenly asked in a strangled voice.

There was a brief silence after she spoke. The man and I simultaneously looked at her, shocked that she had the nerve to question him while he held a gun to her head. The sound of my heartbeat rang loudly in my ears as I waited for his response.

"Why, Bella?" he began as he yanked at her neck roughly. "Why do you think! Lauren was nothing. I didn't know you, had never even seen you. You were my target that night, but instead I found her. I killed her, thinking it was you! You took my family from me, Bella. My mother didn't give a shit about me. The only hope I had for a family was my father, and you took that from me!"

My breathing stopped. I couldn't comprehend what he had just said. It didn't make sense at the time. The idea of this man being Bella's brother refused to process, even though that was clearly the case.

"How did you find me?" she uttered.

He chuckled lightly. "That'll just be my little secret." His expression turned severe again. "Now I'm gonna take your family, your precious Edward. And you're gonna watch me do it. I wanted to kill you too, but I think I'll make you live without him, just like you made me live without Charlie."

Bella gasped. She looked at me in horror and tears began to fall. My expression was blank as I stood in shock. Part of me was relieved. If he meant what he said, then Bella would live. I also felt a surge of devastation, knowing that if I died, she would forever blame herself for it.

I released shallow breaths as Bella begged through tears. "Please. Don't. Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it. But leave him alone."

"Tell your boyfriend to drop his gun," he answered.

My shock slowly gave way to anger, and I glared at him for giving Bella such an order. Defeated, she closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. "Edward," she began shakily. "Put the gun down."

I nodded at her, and slowly knelt to the floor, anticipation welling inside me.

The man may have anticipated my arrival, but he didn't anticipate the SIG-Sauer 9mm pistol and ankle holster that I had attached to my leg right before I stepped out of my car.

I laid my gun down quickly. In the next instant, I pressed one knee to the floor and withdrew the pistol from the other leg. I aimed and fired a shot that tore straight through his knee cap.

He fell back with a shriek, dropping the gun and releasing his hold on Bella as he crashed to the floor. She screamed in confusion and began to clamber away on her hands and knees. Suddenly, she froze when her hand touched the pistol that landed beside her.

I knew I had to stop her, and I moved quickly in her direction. Before I could reach her, she picked it up and turned back to the man as he writhed on the floor in pain.

"Bella! Don't!" I yelled at her.

She sat still, her knees tucked under her as she held the gun a mere three feet from the man's chest. He seemed to take no notice of her. His pain was overshadowing anything else.

I reached her side but kept a safe distance, not wanting to startle her into doing something drastic.

"Bella," I began softly. "Listen to me. Give me the gun, okay? It's alright. I'll take care of it." I held my hand out, but she just shook her head, keeping her eyes trained on her assailant.

I leaned closer, allowing myself a glimpse at her face. Her right cheek already held the early signs of a bruise in the shape of the gun barrel that had been pressed to it.

Tears fell from her chin. Her expression showed pure devastation and brokenness.

"If I shoot him, then it will be over. We'll be safe," she choked out.

The man, although still in pain, looked at Bella and silently begged with his eyes for her to stop. She began to cry loudly.

"Bella, you don't have to do this. You have a choice this time." I moved closer. "Just give me the gun. It's already over."

She closed her eyes as her body quivered with mangled sobs. She lowered the gun enough for me to grab it from her before she collapsed in my arms. I held her tightly, wrapping my arms protectively around her as relief surged through me. I kept an eye on the man, who was now lying in a pool of his own blood.

He made a move as if he was turning over. Then his hand suddenly sprang from his side, and I saw a flash of silver as he tried to lung at us with a knife. I raised the gun immediately as I pushed Bella out of the way.

I began to fire. Bullets ripped through his chest, one of his shoulders, and his neck. Blood splayed from the wounds, and he flew back. A final shot, that did not come from the gun I held, was fired into his head before he hit the floor. After that, he was motionless. Once the barrage of gunfire finally ceased, I quickly turned to the doorway of the house and saw Mike Newton lowering his pistol while police officers rushed inside.

I looked at him in disbelief for a moment before he quietly asked if we were okay. I nodded in response then reached for Bella, who was sitting with her face buried in her hands. I pulled them away, and she wound her arms around my neck.

I released a heavy breath and pulled her to me firmly. "We're alright now. You're safe," I whispered.

"You said you didn't call them," she said, her voice shaky.

"I lied. I called them and grabbed the other gun before I got out of the car," I told her.

She pressed her face to my neck. "I love you, Edward."

My eyes fell closed. "I love you, too."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"So, who was he?" I asked Sergeant Banner as I stood outside of the old house, next to the beat-up, black car.

Bella, who refused to go to the hospital alone, was waiting for me in an ambulance close by. I watched as the sergeant inspected the man's car, pulling papers and various items from the glove compartment. He stood after a moment and studied something in his hand that resembled an ID card.

He looked at me, and I saw a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Well, this in his car, along with a social security card with the same name. But something's not right."

I leaned in to inspect the card myself, and my expression quickly mirrored the sergeant's. The name on the card read Jacob Black. The date of birth showed him to be nineteen.

What didn't make sense was the picture in the left hand corner. I knew right away that the man in the picture was not the man I had just killed.

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**Soooooo How did I do? :) Please let me know in a review! I know you must have something to say and I'd love to discuss it with you! Love you all! - Andy**

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	18. The Roadtrip

**A/N: This chapter takes place about 3 weeks before the events in Ch. 17. I wrestled with whether or not to write it, but I decided that Jacob's portion of the story should be told. I hope you like this, and sorry it took so long! =( BUT I appreciate you sticking with me through this story! I love all of you so much for reading, and it's been great getting to know so many of you! Please leave a REVIEW and let me know what you thought of this! You are all great and wonderful and this story would be nothing without you! =)**

**Thanks as always to my beta, AydenMorgen, for making this chapter better with your suggestions. Thanks also to TillyWhitlock for her wonderful advice and insight. Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: SM owns all, but BC is mine. :)

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****JacobPOV - 3 Weeks Earlier**

I stood outside of Bella's house, hoping that if I remained there long enough, she'd eventually come back.

I clutched her letter tightly in my right hand. The words it contained were still unreal to me, as if they had been written by someone else. I hopped on my Harley Sprint as soon as I had received it in the mail that morning and still had not overcome the initial shock when I arrived at her house.

She informed me in the letter that she was gone. Her life was no longer bearable in Phoenix and she needed to leave for good. I was the only person she had sent such a letter, because she knew I was the only person who would worry.

She made sure that it got to me long after she left though. According to the postmark, she had been gone for almost one week. She had hitchhiked to Washington with the intention of ending up in Seattle. Instead, her trip was stalled when she stopped in a town called Forks and was crashing at the apartment of a girl she met there.

The letter contained little else. She closed it by asking me to not contact her, saying that she just wanted to move on. She also thanked me for being there when she needed a friend.

And I had been there…time and time again. It was no secret to anyone who knew me that I was completely in love with Bella Swan. Although, I had to admit we had known each other for almost a year, and I knew she didn't return those feelings.

Bella didn't trust easily. After what she had been through, I didn't blame her. Her father was an asshole who beat her mercilessly then got himself killed when he pushed her too far one night. She didn't talk about that night much, but I knew she still felt guilty for having to shoot him. Considering that Bella didn't let me in on her thoughts often, I tried to be the person that made her laugh and forget about her problems…until she was alone again anyway.

As I stood on the front lawn of her house, I couldn't let her go. No matter what the letter said, I knew she was running in fear, refusing to face what had happened and truly move on. I heard the paper crinkle as I grasped her letter tighter. A sudden persistence took hold of me, and I felt the need to find her. I was the only person who cared about her; therefore, it was my responsibility to bring her home. My bike would never make it, so I began to contemplate another means of getting there.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the loud rumble of an engine. I quickly looked to the street. A black car was coming in my direction then unexpectedly stopped when it reached Bella's house. The guy behind the wheel looked at me curiously for a moment. I didn't recognize him, and from his expression, he appeared to be lost maybe. Slowly, he pushed the door opened and stepped out, never taking his eyes off of me. He approached but halted his steps when he was still about ten feet away. A friendly grin spread across his face.

"Hey, man, is this where Bella Swan lives?"

I furrowed my brow. "Who's asking?"

He diverted his eyes and looked at the ground. "Well, um, I'm her brother."

Confusion overtook my expression. My first instinct was to scan his features for any resemblance to Bella. Finding none, I brought my eyes back to his, at a complete loss for words. Bella had never mentioned a brother.

"Her…brother?" I mumbled.

"Yeah," he replied. "I only found out about Charlie and Bella…recently." He seemed to stumble on his words somewhat. He kept his eyes downcast, and I couldn't help but detect a certain amount of deception in his voice.

"How recently?" I questioned.

"After he died," he answered quickly.

I sighed, still debating with myself on whether or not to trust what he was telling me.

"So, you never met Charlie?" I asked next.

"No," he said. "I never met Bella either and I don't know what she looks like. But my mother told me about them and even showed me my birth certificate. He's listed as my father."

I stood quiet, mulling over the information he was giving me. I knew Charlie was a womanizer. It was one of his worst kept secrets. People knew about his various women more than they knew about his abuse of Bella. This guy being Charlie's son was entirely plausible.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and said, "What's your name?"

He squinted his eyes, and they met mine for a second before he looked down again. He almost appeared surprised that I asked for his name.

"Richard," he said a little slowly, while shuffling his feet.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Richard what?"

After a moment, he responded with, "Richard Mitchell." He finally raised his eyes. "What's your name?"

"Jacob…Jacob Black," I told him.

He moved closer, the friendly grin returning to his face. "Nice to meet you." He extended his hand to me.

I took it tentatively. "Same here."

He stepped back and shrugged. "So, is Bella here by any chance?"

"No. She's gone," I said sadly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she left. She took off…for good apparently."

His expressions turned hard. "And you don't know where to?"

I held up the letter. "Yeah. To Washington. She sent this from a town called Forks. I was actually trying to come up with a way to get to her."

His eyebrows knitted together in a manner that showed deep concern. There was a short span of silence again before he finally said, "Look, I don't know how you'd feel about this, but it could be a solution for both of us. I really want to meet Bella. I mean, she is my sister, and as of now, she's practically the only family I have." He turned slightly and gestured to his car. "I've got my car. It's old, but it can make the trip, and I've got cash. If you're cool with it, we can head to Washington together."

My eyes widened at his unexpected offer. While I could believe that he was Charlie's son, I didn't know the true nature of his motives. His words conveyed sincerity, but his demeanor appeared nervous and tense. I couldn't read the guy.

"I know you don't know me," he continued. "So it's fine if you just use me for the ride. I guess you could say we'd be using each other." He chuckled lightly.

I smirked. "True. But, you know, I could help you with gas money."

He waved me off. "No need, man. I work full time as a maintenance man for the city. I've got plenty of cash."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It didn't take anymore convincing beyond that. He was right; I would be using him for a ride, and he'd be using me as a means to meet Bella. I also justified my riding with him by telling myself that I would not want Bella to meet this guy alone anyway. His edgy disposition made me skeptical of him. But when he spoke to me, his tone was always friendly.

"You got a girlfriend back in Phoenix?" I asked him at one point when we were two hours south of Oregon.

"Fuck no, dude. I don't trust women," he said with a laugh.

I scoffed. "Why not?"

"They're just a pain in the ass to deal with," he stated simply.

Not knowing how to respond to his asinine comment, I turned to the window and nodded to the beat of the music that was blaring from the car's stereo.

We almost drove straight through California but stopped once we got to Redding to sleep. He said he only needed a few hours, then he'd be ready for the last leg of the trip. I stayed awake as I crouched in the backseat of his car. He slept without a sound, and I kept my eyes on him, still leery of him. I made up my mind as I watched him that once I found Bella, we'd find our own way back to Phoenix and lose Richard Mitchell fast. I wasn't going to risk anything when Bella was involved.

The rest of the drive was spent in considerable silence as he chain smoked Marlboro Menthols and we listened to a Kiss CD that was playing on repeat. I sighed in relief when we passed Portland, knowing that we would be in Washington soon.

"You excited to finally meet your sister?" I asked lightheartedly.

He neither looked at me nor made any expression. "You have no idea."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat at his tone. It was lacking in any kind of emotion. The guy was giving me the damn creeps.

It was night when we finally pulled into Forks. The town was small and surrounded by forest, completely opposite of the dry, dirty conditions of Phoenix.

The main street stretched across the entire length of the town, and we decided to begin our search there. We slowed the car, our eyes scanning each side of the road intently. At first, we saw no one; just empty shops with dark windows.

Just as we were discussing turning onto side streets, a glass door to one of the shops opened, and a girl emerged onto the sidewalk. A street lamp momentarily lit up her features. She was a blonde and was cute as hell from what I could see. She walked briskly along the sidewalk as she ran her hand through her golden hair.

Some movement behind her diverted my attention, and I squinted my eyes to see what it was. Another person had rounded the corner from the alley, and although her face was hidden by the darkness, I knew immediately that it was Bella. Her brown hair hung limply, and her walk was timid as she followed the blonde girl down the sidewalk. There was a significant distance between them.

"There she is," I said, barely audible. The sight of Bella looking so fragile and alone made my throat burn. I raised my finger, but my hand was so shaky that it was unclear which girl I was pointing at.

I tore my eyes away from her as I brought my hand down and looked at Richard. He was staring intently at the sidewalk, as though his eyes were locked on a target. But I noticed that he wasn't looking at Bella. He was looking at the blonde girl who was lit up by the lights on the street.

I glanced back at Bella. She was walking slowly, still far behind the other girl and concealed in darkness. I knew he hadn't seen her.

"Okay," he began. "We've seen her, so let's find a place to crash for the night, and we can come back to that store tomorrow. Sound good?"

I turned in his direction. I ached to go to Bella since I was so close, but my uneasiness was increasing with each passing moment. I needed to formulate a plan to get away from the guy and find Bella alone. I knew that waiting until he was asleep was my best bet.

"Sure," I answered.

We drove the rest of the way through Forks until we found an old road right on the edge of town. The lights from the car illuminated a few houses, all of which appeared to be abandoned.

"We may as well park here. I don't think anyone will bother us," he pointed out.

I nodded in response.

All of a sudden, I heard a pop, and the car jolted to a halt.

"Shit! Must have hit a nail or something."

"You got a spare?" I asked quickly.

"Yeah. In the trunk," he said, exasperated.

"Well, I'm great with cars. I can take a look and change out the tire in the morning," I lied. No way in hell was I going to stick around until the morning.

"Would you mind checking the damage real quick?" he asked. "I've got a flashlight in the back."

I shrugged and sighed. "Sure. No problem."

He cut the engine and opened his door. I climbed out and stepped to the front passenger tire. I watched as he made his way to the trunk, yanking it open.

I knelt to the ground. Even though the moon was the only source of light, it could see that the tire was almost completely depleted of air.

I gave a quick nod. "Yup. It's flat." I reached out my hand to feel for any tears.

I could hear him rummaging through the trunk, and I assumed he was still looking for the flashlight. Abruptly, the noise stopped. As I continued to asses the damage, I heard nothing but silence behind me. It was as if he was no longer there.

Confused, I narrowed my eyes and spun around to look for him.

The last thing my eyes would ever see was his hand coming towards my head, wielding a large metal flashlight. I heard a crack, like the sound of a baseball bat striking a tree, and I dropped to the ground. A moment later, I felt him pulling my wallet from my back pocket as I began to drift into oblivion. Then there was nothing.

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	19. The Body

**A/N: Hey everyone! This is the chapter that I've been excited to write for a while. :) I hope you all like it! I did my best for ya! lol I want to thank you all again for sticking with me throughout this story. You mean so much to me, and I could never show my gratitude enough! Please, Please, leave a review and let me know what you think about this one! I love the feedback, and I love talking with you! :)**

**Thanks to my wonderful beta, AydenMorgen! READ her new if Rapture for some wonderful NightClubSexward! http:/www (.) fanfiction (.) net/s/5863816/1/Rapture Thanks to everyone else who has helped with this story, including Tilly Whitlock! :)**

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline.

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****EPOV**

After the shootout in the old, run-down house, we stayed at my parents' home in Seattle for the night. Even the thought of taking Bella back to my apartment where the blood bath occurred and she was taken made my stomach turn. She was checked out at the hospital then discharged a few hours later. I took her away immediately.

As we made our way to Seattle, I was amazed to see cars on the road and people on the sidewalks as if life simply went on. After the day Bella and I had, life was at a standstill. There were questions plaguing me that I didn't dare ask her. Her eyes stared blankly ahead, lost in the vast turmoil she was experiencing.

I kept quiet, not wanting to upset her further. Keeping one hand on the wheel and the other securely wrapped around her shoulders, I held her the whole time. I never once considered letting her go.

She pressed against me firmly, as though she was trying to sink into me. I couldn't get close enough either. I had lost her, found her, and then almost lost her again…all in the same day.

I pulled her in closer at the thought, my fingers caressing the skin of her shoulder. Her hair tickled my chin, and an involuntary grin crept to my lips.

"I love you…always," I whispered.

She sighed, and content relief was evident in the sound. "I know you do," she began softly. "I never thought that love was real until you came into my life. I love you too."

I held her firmly the rest of the way to Seattle, focusing only on the moment, her soft skin, the smell of her hair, and the fact that she was safe. Everything else could be dealt with later. She didn't want to talk about what had happened, and I was admittedly still too overcome with shock to form any coherent questions.

I didn't know what to make of the man I had killed. He had spoken of Bella's father being his father and that he was angry with her for killing him. I shook my head lightly in disbelief that, in the end, the entire situation had nothing to do with Lauren or James or even Aro. It had everything to do with Bella.

A brother she never knew had sought her out, killed the wrong girl, then proceeded to stalk her every move. How he found her was still a mystery. And why the fuck he had someone else's identification with him was as well. It was all too much, and I refused to dwell on it as I clung to Bella, thanking God that I was able to do so.

We arrived in Seattle late that night, exhausted, confused, yet relieved to be together. When we entered the house, my mother showed us to separate rooms, but she knew it was pointless. She threw me a knowing glance, wordlessly acknowledging that I wasn't going to leave Bella alone for the night. I had never confirmed a relationship with her, but with one look, I knew that my mother was aware of it.

I didn't know how she knew, of course; call it woman's or mother's intuition, I guess. I only hoped she'd done me the favor of not sharing it with the rest of the family yet.

She gave Bella a gentle hug while saying, "You are always welcome here…whenever you need." Then she went to bed, leaving Bella and me alone in the hallway.

She looked at me, her expression full of dismay laced with apprehension. "Well…goodnight."

I shook my head lightly in confusion and grabbed her hand. "I'm not leaving you alone, Bella. After what's happened, I'm not about to be away from you right now."

Her eyes, while still heavy with exhaustion, managed to light up at my words. She didn't say anything. She just squeezed my hand, and I led us to the guest room that my mom had sad was hers.

I shut the door quietly behind me. As I turned to look at her, a vague familiarity took over the atmosphere. I was unsure of what to do next, just as I had been during the first few days after we'd met.

The indecipherable emotions flowing between us were too intense and overwhelming. I could feel them in my bones, and it was almost enough to bring me to my knees.

We simultaneously moved toward each other, eyes locked. When she was close enough, she practically fell into my arms. I supported the weight of her tired body easily and helped her to the bed, where I laid her down. Gently, I helped her strip until she was only wearing her bra and panties.

When I climbed into the bed next to her, her eyes were open, but they were blank, vacant. I sighed and pulled the large quilt from the foot of the bed up to cover us. Then we were silent, lying on our sides, facing each other.

After a moment, I reached up to stroke her cheek and said, "You should sleep."

"I can't…sleep," she answered, her eyes downcast.

I understood why she couldn't. With sadness, I replied, "I know. I can't either."

She gave a quick nod, still looking down. Silent minutes passed, my hand still stroking her face. Finally, she blinked hard and brought her eyes up to meet mine.

"I don't get it, Edward. Why did this happen to me? Why does it always happen to me?" she asked simply and emotionlessly.

I released a heavy, anguished breath. "God, Bella, I wish I could answer that. But you didn't deserve any of it. None of it. You've never done a thing wrong." I wound my arm around her waist, pulling her to me. "You are the greatest person I've ever known," I said against her hair. Our legs intertwined, and she buried her face in my chest.

Silence reigned again for the next few moments as I held her and ran my fingertips over her bare skin. Lying quietly beside her, I wondered what was going through her mind. The day's terrible events? How happy she was that we were alive? Or was she imagining that none of it had happened and we were merely tucked away at some beautiful resort, on vacation?

My question was answered when she suddenly said, "I never knew I had a brother."

I grimaced and pulled back to look at her. "You can't call that guy your brother, Bella. He was nothing but pure fucking evil. We don't even know who the hell he was." I took her face in my hands. "Please, Bella. You have no reason to feel any guilt. You survived because you deserved to."

Her eyes bore into mine, and I was amazed by what I saw. Despite the twistedness of our situation, her brown orbs danced with love as she gazed at me.

"I can't believe I almost lost you," she started, her tone serious. "If I had lost you…I would've been left with nothing. I mean, you've been my angel from the day I met you."

I was overcome with emotion once again. Closing my eyes, I pressed my forehead to hers and stroked her cheeks with my thumbs.

"I'm here, Bella. I'm here, and I swear to God, I'll never leave you."

Placing my finger under chin, I brought my mouth to hers. All the despair, tension, weariness, and love that had made us almost catatonic before poured out in our kiss. We grasped at each other desperately. Her hands weaved into my hair as mine traveled downward then clutched at her petite waist. Her hips pressed into me, and I groaned quietly out of desire as well as frustration.

I shouldn't have been thinking about how good her warm body felt against mine. I shouldn't have wanted to run my hands over her soft curves or hear her passionate moans in my ears. Not that night. Not after what we had just been through. Bad idea.

But I wanted her…as much as I wanted my next breath.

"Make love to me, Edward," she whispered, her breath blowing lightly into my mouth. "I need to be as close to you as I possibly can."

I clenched my eyes shut tightly and kissed her more urgently.

_She wants me too._

In the next instant, my shirt was off and discarded on the floor. Her hands had traveled down my chest and were yanking at the button on my pants. She shoved them over my hips, and I hurriedly pulled them the rest of the way off, blindly tossing them behind me.

We laid side by side, in only our underwear. Her body felt breathtaking against mine, and her eyes burned ardently. Fingers glided delicately across each other's skin as we held our stare. I had been so terrified of losing her only hours before, but there she was, safe in my arms…

"…right where you should be," I said, barely audible. Her perfect lips curved into a slight smile.

Slowly, I reached around her and unclasped the hook of her bra. I pulled it away, revealing her pale, exquisite breasts. My eyes stayed locked on hers as I cupped them in my palms, kneading and rolling her nipples under my thumbs. Her body tensed, and her hot breaths blew across my face.

I hissed as I felt fingernails drag erotically down the length of my back. The slight burning sensation of it only spurred me on further. My cock was already painfully hard, and my patience was wearing thin.

I released a heady breath and turned over until I was partially hovering over her. Her hands whispered over the skin of my shoulder blades, causing the small hairs at the back of my neck to stir.

I moved my body down hers, making a trail with my fingers over her ribcage, down her waist, and they settled when they reached her panties. Every muscle in her body became tense with fervent desire when I began to slide the cotton fabric down to her feet.

Once again, I could see the scars that marred her from years of abuse, but my breath hitched at her utter perfection. I ached to be inside her, to feel her in that way. Her panties joined the pile of clothing on the floor, and she pulled me back up to her.

She crushed her lips to mine. Our tongues mingled as she pushed me down firmly to lie on my back. I opened my eyes for a moment, taken aback by her sudden bold act. But it turned me on even more, and my stiff cock was straining against my thin boxers.

She sat on her knees next to me as my eyes admired her flawless naked form. Her lips held a small smirk, and her eyes were downcast, staring at my boxer shorts and the growing bulge beneath them. Her fingers slid into the waistband.

"Lift up," she ordered gently.

I obeyed and arched my back as she pulled them off and tossed them aside. She watched me, eyes burning, as she climbed on top of me, placing her thighs on each side of my hips.

My hands trailed along her skin lightly, but the moment I felt the heat of her arousal, they shot down and cupped her ass with ardent force. It stung in the most wonderful way as she teased my erect dick with her wet folds then began to lower herself onto me. Her tight walls closed in around me, causing a deep groan to escape from my throat.

She started to move, circling her hips so that I could feel her all over me. My eyes fell closed as I reveled in the sensation. Suddenly, I felt her breath at my face, and she pressed her lips tenderly to mine. Quiet whimpers resonated against my mouth. Her taste, her body, and her movement made me almost numb. The euphoria of it all was overwhelming. I still couldn't get close enough to her, even while making love to her.

She sat up again and dug her fingers into my chest as she began to rise and fall on me, burying my cock deep inside her each time. My breath was raw in my throat as I watched her, savoring the feeling. She threw her head back with a gasp and moved faster.

"Bella…" I clutched her hips. "Look at me," I demanded.

She brought her eyes back to me, and they reflected mine; full of love and intensity in a way that I never thought was possible.

She pumped more vigorously, pressing her hands into my skin harder, until I was on the verge of explosion. I could feel my muscles constrict as she brought me closer and closer to the brink of my release.

I wanted to restrain myself though, knowing that she had yet to experience her own. But the expression on her face read nothing but anticipation as she kept up her motions, urging me on. So I let go and gritted my teeth. My hands went to her thighs, where they held firmly as she rode me through my orgasm.

She ceased her movements gradually, seemingly satisfied even though she did not reached her own climax, and lifted her hips so that my dick slipped out of her slowly.

"Baby, I want to make you feel good," I told her, my voice pleading.

She smiled. "You did. You always do. All I want is to be with you, so it doesn't matter. Just…hold me."

I pulled her down to me, cradling her to my chest. Her breathing eventually steadied, and my heart rate calmed. I held her still, stroking her hair as she planted chaste kisses on my neck.

My eyelids began to feel heavy once the intensity between us diminished and was replaced with peace and contentment.

Neither of us moved, refusing to separate. I wanted to keep her there, the weight of her on me, and drift off.

"I think I can sleep now," she uttered blissfully against my ear.

I grinned and hugged her tighter. "Me too."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next morning, I was woken by the ringing of my work phone. Bella stirred in my arms at the sound and began to move off of me, but I didn't let go. Instead, I sat up, still holding her, and moved to the edge of the bed to grab my pants from the floor. Her face remained nestled in my neck as I brought the phone to my ear.

"Cullen."

"We got some news." It was the voice of Mike Newton. My thoughts when it came to him were muddled after he had aided in the shooting of the assailant. It took me a moment to respond.

"What news is that?" I asked.

"Well, first of all, we've ID'd the suspect. And second, a body was found behind that old house."

I was stunned silent for a few seconds. "What do you mean it was found behind the house?" My voice was unintentionally louder when I asked.

"I mean we found the body of a young guy in the backyard, covered by tall weeds. He's pretty badly decomposed, but we think we've ID'd him too, using the identification found in the suspect's car. Turns out Bella may have known him."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"The guy we found in the backyard was Jacob Black…at least, we're pretty sure that was his name," Sergeant Banner said as I stood in his office later that day.

It was requested that I return to Forks so they could tell me the news in person, away from Bella. She was obviously anxious when I left but felt comfortable enough to stay with my mother until I returned to her later. It still killed me to leave her, though.

"His family reported him missing last week after he failed to return home," Sergeant Banner continued. "He called and told them that he got a ride here to get Bella, but they never heard from him again. His family says that Bella and this Jacob were friends."

I could barely form words, but managed to ask, "So you think this guy was used as a way to get to Bella?"

"Can't say for sure, but it would appear so from the looks of things. This kid knew Bella; the suspect was looking for Bella. Then he kills the kid when he doesn't need him anymore."

I nodded, but my heart felt like it had plummeted to my stomach. Another victim; another person Bella knew. She would blame herself for another death, and I knew that. I leaned against the wall.

"When will we know for sure that it's him?"

"As soon as the DNA test results come back. Could be weeks." He paused. "You might want to let her know though…so she can be prepared for it if it is him, which it most likely is."

He was right; she deserved to know. I couldn't keep it from her, even if I knew what it would do to her.

I sighed. "Yeah, I'll tell her." My voice was soft. "Newton said the suspect's been ID'd too?" I added anxiously.

He threw me a nod and set a piece of paper on the desk in front of me. There was a black and white picture in the corner. The face, although young in the photo, was familiar right away. I cringed at the sight of him. It was a fax, detailing the juvenile record of a man named Riley Biers.

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**Sooooo, tell me what you think! :) Was the lemon lemony enough? What did you think of the ending? Reviews mean a lot to me, and I know you must have some thoughts about this chapter. So let me read 'em! :) Love you all! *hugs* -Andy**


	20. The End

**A/N: So this is the last chapter before the Epilogue, loves. =( I hope, really hope this chapter is good and satisfying. I have loved writing this story and have loved entertaining you with it. As I've said before, this story would not be anything without you, my readers. The fact that you've supported me through this has meant so much. All the award nominations, rec's...everything has just been wonderful. You are all amazing, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will write more, so I hope that you all stick with me in the future. I'm excited to write more for you! *hugs* to you all! =)**

**I have soooo many people to thank. All my loves on Twitter, my various pimps (you know who you are *wink* Jaime, Bleriana, Bean, Lemon, Rose...so many more). My beta, AydenMorgen, who has been such a wonderful help to me. Tilly Whitlock, another one of my go-to gals. I love you all! I'd hug and kiss you all if I could!**

**ONE MORE THING: BC has been nom'd for a Golden Lemon Award! Squeeee! =D Please go here and vote for me - Best Cockblock! http:/www (.) goldenlemonawards (.) com/nominations/timetovote/**

**Epilogue for BC will be coming soon! =D**

Disclaimer: I own none of Twilight, but this storyline is mine indeed.

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**BPOV**

I got dressed and climbed back into bed after Edward left for the station that morning. I was anxious right away as I wasn't ready to let him go yet. I would've been content to just lie in bed with him all day and forget the world existed for a little while.

I didn't want to feel anything…besides him. I had been numb until we arrived in Seattle and we were alone in the bedroom. His reassuring words brought life back to my body, and as always, I believed him when he said I was blameless. It was never easy to believe him, but he proved the validity of his words time and time again through tender touches and honest looks. Sincerity was always evident in his eyes.

I could hear his voice resounding in my head, telling me that I was not to blame for my brother's death.

_My brother…_

I shook my head. That he could be my brother still didn't make sense, and I knew that I might never know the full truth. He had spoken of Charlie, he knew how he died, and he knew that I was the person who pulled the trigger. I received no explanation, however, for the rage I was met with. There was no reason given for why he had tracked me down and tormented me the way he had.

The answers would never come to those questions. Only he knew them, and he was dead. Perhaps he blamed me, the way I had always blamed myself.

I shook my head again, willing the thoughts away. Whatever the case, I had to accept this new revelation with the same bitterness that I accepted everything else in my life…and simply move on. Only this time, I wouldn't be alone. I had been given Edward, who taught me and was still teaching me how to be strong and forgive myself.

I forced my mind to focus on him. As I laid in bed, my eyes fluttered closed, my thoughts turning to dreams. And I saw a face that I did not expect to see.

Jacob, my only friend from Phoenix, was standing before me, watching me. I didn't know where we were; we seemed lost. But I somehow sensed things that had not been said, and I knew he had…followed me, even though I had instructed him in my letter not to. I couldn't read the expression on his face. It was blank and distant, like he was seeing right through me.

His lips formed a hard line, but his jaw and forehead were relaxed. He stood stoic, just staring at me, neither moving nor blinking. He almost appeared…dead, standing up.

Before I could speak to Jacob in my dream, I was jolted awake by a sudden but gentle knock. I experienced a moment of fear, followed by a moment of bewilderment as I tried to recall where I was. My eyes wandered the room.

I heard another knock that was as gentle as the first, and I sighed in relief, remembering that I was the home of the Cullens.

"Bella?" a soft voice said. "It's me, Esme."

I sat up in the bed slightly and meekly answered, "Come in."

She opened the door slowly and stepped into the room, fully dressed, wearing make-up, and with her hair arranged in soft curls.

_How long have I been asleep? _I wondered.

"I thought you might be hungry. It's almost two in the afternoon. But if you don't want to come downstairs, I understand. I can bring the food to you," she said, reassuringly. "It's just us here. My husband's at his office, but he's sorry he missed you."

Although I was still shaken by my dream and Jacob's lifeless expression, I couldn't help being at ease in Esme's presence. She was so warm natured, and her face exuded an air of compassion.

I smiled at her. "I am hungry actually, thank you. But I can come down and make something for myself, Mrs. Cullen. You don't have to go through any trouble for me."

She smiled back and shook her head. "Call me, Esme, honey. And don't worry. I saved some lunch for you. I only made some turkey sandwiches, so I hope that's all right."

"That's perfect. I really appreciate it, Mrs. Cu-…Esme," I said, and my cheeks burned red.

She chuckled and nodded politely. "Good. Let's get you fed."

She led me out of the room and downstairs then sat at the table with me as I ate. Both of us were silent, but I was still at ease with her and there were no moments of awkwardness between us. Her personality was light and trusting, the way I'd always imagined a mother should be.

"You know, Bella," she suddenly began after a while. "I see how Edward looks at you, and I know what he's gone through to keep you safe. So, I just want to say that I love my son very much, which means that I love anything he loves. And anyone."

The last words of her statement caused a wave of heat to rush to my face immediately, and I felt my stomach clench.

_She knows…_

Why this surprised me so much, I wasn't sure. I suppose I just didn't expect her to comment on it so quickly. I didn't know how to respond. I just put the sandwich down and looked at her in a stupor for a moment.

Finally, I blurted, "I really care about him too, Esme." I gasped lightly after I finished, surprised by my own words and the boldness I found to speak them.

She simply grinned and placed her hand to my forearm. "We know you do. Carlisle and I could sense feelings between you two the day you stayed with us so he could work. We haven't told his siblings out of respect for you, but they may have seen it too. Especially Alice," she added with a chuckle.

Embarrassment flooded my nerves. A discussion of this sort was not one I was prepared to have. Not yet, and not with Edward's mother. I was feeling similar to a teenager who had been caught in the act.

I struggled to maintain eye contact, even though I was elated that both she and Dr. Cullen were supportive of the relationship. And I did want her to know how much I cared for Edward.

"He's…he's a great guy." I looked down and smirked adoringly as I saw his face in my mind. "Greatest guy I've ever known."

"I'm glad you feel that way about him, Bella. He is a wonderful person. And he's good to the people he loves. I know he'll be good to you," she said kindly.

I sighed in contentment and nodded.

"I want you to feel comfortable here with us and with the whole family. His brothers and sisters care about you too. We'll be seeing a lot of you, I'm sure," she said with a knowing smile.

Her acceptance of me caused a lump to form in my throat. Suddenly, I not only had Edward to stand by me, but I had an entire family. It was almost overwhelming, and all I could do was look at her for a moment, showing my gratitude through the expression on my face.

"I do feel comfortable; I really do…very much. I like being here," I told her honestly.

Her smile grew and she released my arm, allowing me to continue eating. I finished my sandwich, and after some instance on my part, Esme let me wash my plate then showed me where to place it when I was done. I excused myself after that, telling her that I wanted to shower.

"Oh, wait one second," she said then went to Alice's old room to put together an outfit for me from clothes she had left behind.

I thanked her and made my way to the upstairs bathroom. I showered quickly as thoughts and images of Jacob as well as my dead brother made it impossible to enjoy the soothing heat of the water.

I hadn't thought much about Jacob or anyone else from my old life, except for my father, while I had been in Washington. So, I was at a loss as to why I had suddenly dreamed about him. The blank expression on his face disturbed me most. Jacob had always been so animated, constantly jovial.

I dressed in Alice's clothes then went back to guest room. When I opened the door, I found Edward sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Edward," I said, relieved.

My heart started pounding a second later, out of both excitement to see him and anticipation to hear the news he'd been told. I went to him immediately and threw my arms around his neck, and he pressed his palms against my back.

"Hey, Bella." His tone was melancholy.

Fear of what he knew nipped at me, but I had to know. And I trusted that he'd be honest with me. "Tell me, Edward," I said softly against his neck.

He took in a deep breath. "I know his name."

My eyes widened in shock at his statement. "Already? I thought that would take more time."

"No," he whispered and shook his head lightly. "All it took was fingerprints. He was nineteen. He had a juvenile record out of Phoenix for a theft he committed when he was fifteen. They took his prints then, so we go the hit through AFIS. It's a fingerprint database," he explained.

I nodded then gathered all the courage I could to ask, "What was his name?"

He began to rub circles in my back. "Riley…Riley Biers."

A breath caught in my throat, and I froze. I recognized that last name. "Biers?"

"Yeah," he answered quickly. He pulled back to look at me, hearing the tension in my voice. "You know the name?"

"Yes." My voice was shaky. "Sort of. We would get mail from a Christine Biers sometimes, but Charlie always took it right away and said the letters from her were nothing important."

He sighed. "Christine was Riley's mother, according to his record. We've tried to contact her, but so far, no luck."

I looked away from him, attempting to arrange my jumbled thoughts. Everything was coming together, forming a slightly cohesive puzzle.

My dad's confession of an affair the night I shot him…

The letters he seemed so eager to get rid of as soon as they arrived…

This guy, Riley, who had the same last name as the woman who had sent those letters.

I was admittedly relieved to have some answers, but the reality of the situation hit me once again, and I felt my body begin to quiver.

I released a shallow breath. "So now we know," I said simply, unable to say more.

We knew who had killed Lauren and why. Although, the fact that she died due to a case of mistaken identity made me ill. Riley Biers had mistaken her for me.

He wanted to punish me for killing Charlie, and all the mayhem that had destroyed lives was because of his insatiable need for revenge. I'd still never be able to pinpoint why, but at least it was over.

"Are you okay, Bella?" He tore his gaze away from me and pulled me to him again.

I closed my eyes and absorbed the safety of his arms as they surrounded me. "I guess all I can say is that I will be," I answered.

He pressed his face into my hair. "There's one more thing I have to tell you," he whispered.

"What's that?"

"A body…was found behind that house."

Immediately, my eyes became moist as a bout of dread hit my stomach.

_No more. No more death. Please, God…_

"Whose body?" I asked, apprehensively.

He was quiet, too quiet and for too long. I nudged him, urging him to answer me.

"We're pretty certain it's…Jacob Black."

I ripped myself from his embrace. "What!" I exclaimed with tear filled eyes. "What…" I repeated.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he said sadly, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I looked at him in numb horror. Sanity began to slip away one cord at a time. Not Jacob. Jacob had nothing to do with this. Why the hell would he even be in Forks? That he could be remotely involved wouldn't even register.

"No. Wait. What do you mean you're 'pretty certain'? I…I don't understand what you're saying. You don't know if it's him?" I rambled.

He held me tighter and stared intently into my eyes, making sure I'd hear him. "Biers had Jacob's ID with him, and he's been reported missing out of Phoenix." He paused. "He left a note for his family, saying that he came here to find you."

"But…how…" I began, trying desperately to find something to argue, but I couldn't. My eyes as well as my mind became overcome with sorrow, and tears fell. Sobs shook my body as he held me for an unknown length of time.

"I'm so sorry," Edward said again.

Words wouldn't form, couldn't form. I thought of my dream, and Jacob's dead expression. I didn't understand the dream at the time, but my subconscious had already told me that he was dead. I still couldn't fathom it though.

"Why?" I asked more than once. Edward would attempt to answer each time.

"Biers must have found him somehow in Phoenix, picked him up, and drove with him here…The guy didn't need Jacob anymore after he thought he'd found you…He just used him, Bella."

I shook my head at his explanations but couldn't stop the sobs long enough to tell him that I meant something else entirely.

Why another needless death? Why another life destroyed? Why did God allow it all to happen…if there is a God at all? These questions were unanswerable, I knew. I had no control over anyone's action. I could only mourn for my friend, the only other person besides Edward, who had ever truly cared for me.

"Why…" I cried again, barely intelligible.

"It's not your fault, Bella," he said, matter-of-factly.

That time, I nodded rather than shake my head. His words perfectly referred to what I had asked. I needed to hear that.

"I know," I choked out. "Because of you, I believe that."

He sat back and cupped my face in his hands, pressing his forehead against mine. "You do? You really believe that?"

Tears continued to fall from my eyes. "I'm angry, Edward. I'm so angry. Jake…he was my friend, and he came for me. But I know I couldn't do anything to stop it."

"And you didn't do anything to cause it," he added.

I fought with myself, as usual. I fought with that part that still wanted to find me at fault. It was becoming easier to see the truth. I had done nothing wrong. Edward was right.

"I didn't do anything to cause it," I agreed and leaned into him.

He embraced me again as I wept on his shoulder. He continued to comfort me, speaking about his love for me and our future.

"I'm gonna find us a new place to live. I can get a job here, and you can go to school or whatever you feel like doing. We'll stay here for now. You'll be okay. I love you, Bella, always."

I nodded and held him tighter. He was my solace, my love…my angel.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

**EPOV**

A week later, I was at the station, attempting to finish the paperwork I had basically abandoned since taking on the case of Lauren Mallory's murder. I wanted out of Forks, and it was no secret. Everyone knew that I was tying up loose ends for the sole purpose of being able to leave for good as soon as possible. My apartment was already up for lease, and all of my belongings were being held in a storage facility in Seattle.

Bella had been welcomed into my family with ease. My parents, as well as my brothers and sisters, made every attempt to include her in whatever conversation or activity was taking place. She was happy; I could see it in her face.

But our eyes were always locked on each other, as though they were magnets. We knew what it was like to be forced apart, so I guess it was only natural that we had to know where the other was. Of course, being away from her while at work was agony.

I began to rush through the paperwork, eager to make the trip back to Seattle, when I heard someone enter my small office. I lifted my eyes and saw Mike Newton standing inside the doorway. We hadn't spoken much. Awkwardness still lingered between us after the shoot-out at the old house.

"Hey, Cullen," he said in a polite tone.

"Hey," I answered.

"There's some girl here who wants to talk to you. Says her name is Angela Weber."

The name was not at all familiar. I considered it for a moment as I was apprehensive to talk to someone new after all that had happened. Curiosity was prevalent in the end.

"Okay. Would you mind sending her over for me?" I asked him.

"Sure," he replied and started to leave. But he stopped and turned to face me again. "Hey, Cullen, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for being a prick, you know…about Bella. I'm happy she's safe."

I couldn't find a response right away. I had never known Newton to apologize for anything, not a damn thing. So his words astounded me.

Ultimately, I just waved him off, saying, "It's over, man. No harm done."

He smirked, gave a polite nod, then proceeded toward the door again.

"Newton," I called abruptly. He whipped his head around to look at me. "You're still an asshole," I remarked with a chuckle.

He laughed in response. "And you're still just a rookie."

We nodded again at each other respectfully, and he left the room to direct the girl to my office.

When Angela Weber entered, I saw that she was a small, seemingly timid girl. Her brown hair was long and pulled back, and she wore glasses. She stepped into the room meekly as I offered her a chair to sit in.

"So what brings you here, Miss Weber?"

"I just…needed to tell you what I know of Jessica Stanley," she said.

I leaned forward a bit, my interest piqued. Jessica's death was still basically a mystery, aside from the fact that it was concluded to be suicide.

"What do you know about her?" I asked.

"Well, I was with her the night she died," she said warily.

"Go on," I encouraged.

"I hadn't seen her since we graduated from high school, but I never moved out of my mother's house. I'm still in college. Anyway, my mom was at work that night, so it was just me at home. All of a sudden, Jessica showed up. She looked…insane. I knew right away that she was high on something."

She stopped and took a deep breath. "She said that she needed to talk to someone, and that I was the only person who didn't know _'them'. _I didn't know who 'they' were, but nothing she was saying made much sense at the time. She talked about a guy named James and how she had accused him of murdering a girl in Forks named Lauren. Lauren worked for James, running and selling drugs."

"Right," I commented, indicating that we were aware of that.

She continued, "Well, Jessica had found out that James had nothing to do with murder of Lauren….but the damage had already been done. Nobody knew who had killed her, but Jessica had already talked to the cops and wrongfully accused James. She said that she knew James was going to kill her, but she was going to beat him to it and kill herself."

Tears began to glisten in her eyes. "I tried to talk her out of it. I swear, I did, and when she left, I thought she had changed her mind. She said she was going to see you so she could tell you the truth - that James didn't kill Lauren."

Her tears began to slide down her cheeks. "But I saw all those pills she had with her. There was like a hundred of them. She must have taken so many, most of them even. I saw her write a note while she was still at my house, but I never thought it was a suicide note. I never saw what it said."

I reached for a tissue and handed it to her. "Angela, Miss Weber, it was very brave of you to come here. I know that must have been hard, so I'm very grateful. You have no idea how much this information was needed," I told her.

She dabbed at her eyes and nodded.

"I need to ask you a question though."

She looked at me expectantly.

"Did Jessica mention a girl who was staying with Lauren named Bella?"

"Um, yeah. She did. She didn't speak about her much, just a few things."

"Which were?" I asked.

"She said that Bella was going to be a go-between for Lauren, like a delivery girl. Jessica was a go-between for James. She said that Bella was a runaway and that's why she was chosen for the job. But apparently, Lauren was killed before she involved her, so Bella never knew what was going on."

I sat back, relieved. The final piece of the puzzle had been put into place. Lauren had picked Bella for a job; a job that she, luckily, never had to do nor even knew about. And Jessica, wracked with guilt and fear, took her own life while attempting to get to me. This thought led to another inquiry.

"How did Jessica know where I lived?"

A line formed in between Angela's eyebrows as she considered my question. Finally, she shrugged and said, "I have no idea. Maybe it's just common for those people to keep track of where the police live in the areas they sell. Just so they know."

Her answer was full of uncertainty, but it made sense. Lauren sold in Forks, therefore, it was entirely plausible that she and her boss, James, had always known where I lived.

_Motherfucker, who else had known my address while I lived in Forks?_

The thought scared me, so I was relieved that I was at least out of that apartment.

"That's possible," I said. "Very possible."

"I just thought I should come forward. I'm sorry it took me so long," she said apologetically.

I shook my head. "No, thank you for coming. It took a lot of courage. You told me what I needed to know."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I moved about the station in a rush the rest of the day, and finally, I was able to leave for Seattle. Coming home to Bella that day was different from other days. I felt free, and I knew she could be free too.

Thanks to a timid, scared girl named Angela Weber, I left Forks with no lingering questions. And any questions that remained were minuscule and of little matter. I could let them go.

Time had stopped the day Bella was taken and we were nearly killed, but I found myself becoming gradually excited for my future with her. I couldn't wait to see her and hold her. She was my sanity, my love…my Bella.

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**NOW LISTEN UP! =D Please Review and you'll get a special treat! If you leave a review, I'll reply (as always) and include the prologue for my next story, Seven Day Weekend, in the review reply! I want to hear from all my BC fans, and I'd love to share a sneak peek of my next story with you! So Leave A Review! =D I love you all so much! Thanks for your support! *hugs* -Andy**


	21. Epilogue: The Dream

**A/N: So here is the end! :) I have loved writing this story so much, and I have loved and still love all of your for reading it! I hope you enjoy this Epi. It's never easy to end a story, but this has certainly been a fun ride. I thank you all for sticking with me through it! You are wonderful and amazing for giving me your support and feedback during this story! Thank you again. This story would not be what it has become without you! I love y'all! :DD**

**Thanks as always to my beta, AydenMorgen. To Tilly Whitlock & countless other people who have been my friends, my supporters, and my shoulders to cry on! You know who you are and I love you all! *hugs***

**Don't forget to vote for Bedroom Confessions in the Golden Lemon Awards! BC is up for Best Cockblock! :)**

**Enjoy this, lovelies!**

Disclaimer: As always, I do not own Twilight, but BC is mine. :)

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**Five Years Later**

**EPOV**

I could see her in my dreams, standing at the end of the long aisle lined with white rose petals. Even in my sleep, I could feel the pound of my heart thumping in my chest all over again, bringing me back to the day I had married Bella nearly three years before. I could feel love and anticipation swell within me the moment I caught sight of her, hair swept back beautifully, smile beaming.

And her dress…her dress failed to register at first because all I could see was her face hooded by a light veil, but it was perfect, just like her. My Bella, my bride.

The intensity of that first look down the aisle hit me like a dagger; however, nothing but a rush of elation surged through me. I watched as she came toward me, her white gown molding gracefully to her body. She smiled at me brightly as my father walked by her side, a gesture he had offered the day before.

In my dream, I could pick out the faces of my family in my peripheral. My mother's tears glistened off her cheeks in the dim light as she sat in the front row and looked on proudly. To my right, Alice and Rose stood in their matching lavender dresses and watched, encouraging smiles etched on their faces. Lined up behind me were my two brothers.

As Bella got closer, I could see moisture building up in her eyes, and I knew that she was as overwhelmed as I was. I still couldn't reach her, but I ached to. I swallowed hard and mouthed the words "I love you" to her when I knew she was near enough to understand me. This only caused the moisture in her eyes to increase, but her smile grew, and she mouthed "I love you" back.

The simple act of her walking down the aisle seemed to hang suspending in time and last forever. The Wedding March sounded throughout the room, but I never heard it. There were gentle whispers coming from our wedding guests, but it was as if they weren't even there.

There was only silence as I watched her walk closer, holding on to a bouquet of fresh flowers; ones I'd never remember the names of. Finally, I was able to touch her, and I reached out my hand. When our fingers intertwined, I saw the armoire again and me pulling her from it. The gentle charge of energy that gathered and flowed between us was there again too, just as it was the day we met.

But there was not a scared and broken girl before me anymore. She was whole, restored, and loved.

It was written in her bright, tear-filled eyes, her radiant smile, and the way she held herself with such pride. She was not only loved by me, but she loved herself as well. I returned her smile as I pulled her from my father's arm once the customary giving of the bride had taken place.

I craned my head for a moment, back to my father and threw him a quick nod. He nodded back, knowing that the gesture displayed more than just gratitude for walking Bella down the aisle and the honeymoon to Meteora, Greece he had paid for. It was gratitude for accepting her and helping us. For welcoming her into the family and into his home, before lending his aid as we searched for our own.

I began working for the East Precinct of Seattle as a homicide detective while Bella took classes part-time at a junior college in the city. The apartment we moved into was smaller than the apartment in Forks, but it didn't matter. We could rest easy; bask in the freedom of safety when we went to bed at night.

I was finally able to do the things with Bella that had been virtually impossible to do before without the end resulting in disaster; I was able to take her out on dates. And then we'd come home, no paranoid glances around the parking lot…no notes on the door threatening our lives.

In fact, Bella ceased to talk about Riley Biers shortly after we moved to Seattle. She let him go, resigning herself to the fact that she would never fully understand his motives.

Innocence can never comprehend evil.

And the guy was just fucking evil as far as I was concerned. She only spoke of Jacob from time to time and had even gone as far as to call his family to offer her condolences, although she feared that they'd blame her for his death. Instead, they told her what she already knew and had accepted. That it wasn't her fault; their son had made his own choice, and all the blame rested on the man who killed him.

In the dream, the wedding ceremony began, but once again, I was lost in thought. Bella's eyes, blazing with love even through the veil, were all that existed as the minister spoke words that I barely heard. I could see everything in those eyes. When I first met her, I had searched them, attempting to understand her by looking hard enough.

But on that day, they held no mystery. I could see that she loved me, that she was bursting with excitement yet was peaceful about what was taking place. She would proudly take my name and be called Bella Cullen until we were separated in death.

I caressed her hands in mine after she passed off her bouquet to Alice, who served as Matron of Honor and had also become her best friend. My thumbs slid over her delicate knuckles as I gazed into her liquid brown orbs and saw quiet elation emanating from them.

When I spoke the words "I do," a single tear escaped down her cheek while a familiar blush crept to both. Despite having been with her for two years by that point, she never lost that endearing blush I loved so much. I couldn't help but smile, and her eyes danced.

Surprisingly, my heart rate, which had gradually steadied, suddenly accelerated once again when she said, "I do."

The words were said with resolve and pride, although they were heavy with emotion as she struggled to retain her composure. I never ceased to admire her, even in the simplest displays of strength.

I squeezed her hands tighter as the minister asked for the rings. My heart continued to thump in my chest when we reached the final stage of the wedding, and I slid the gold ring onto her finger. I looked down as I did so, at the symbol of the vow I had just made. It represented my life, which would forever be hers…and _was_ her.

As she pushed the band onto my finger, I knew that the rings we possessed were meaningless in the end. The extent of our love reached beyond any object or place, making a honeymoon just as meaningless.

But seeing Bella as my bride was like being granted a glimpse at an angel. That evening, three years before, would never happen again, until the next time it played out in my dreams.

The last fragment of that day that flashed before me as I slept was the moment my lips collided with hers, when we were announced as man and wife…

Then I awoke, startled by a shrill cry in my ears. My eyes sprang open and were met with Bella's as we laid side by side in bed. She looked at me sweetly, a serene and sleepy grin spread across her lips. The chaste moment of surprise diminished as I looked at Bella, our noses inches from each other's.

The little cries continued to emit from the baby monitor that was perched on the night table next to the bed. The moonlight shone in through the curtains.

Bella rolled slightly and stretched her arms. "I'll get her," she said with a yawn.

I chuckled and propped myself on my elbows, angling my body so that I was hovering over her as our five month old daughter, Mia, continued to cry.

"It's my turn," I told her and kissed her forehead softly.

She smiled. "Why are you always so wonderful to me? I don't think I'll ever get fully used to it," she teased.

My fingers stroked the skin of her cheek. "You make it easy, Bella. That's why."

She leaned her head up to brush her lips across mine, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stir.

Before the moment could continue, the tiny whines and coos sounded from the monitor again.

I pulled my lips away and smirked at her. "We're gonna continue this."

And with that, I switched off the monitor and trekked down the hallway, to the other love of my life.

* * *

**Review this last time, and let me know what you thought! :) As I've already said, thank you so much for reading this story. It was a joy to write! Hope to talk to you soon in the form of a review reply! *hugs***

**AND MY NEW FIC HAS BEEN POSTED! :D GO TO MY PROFILE AND CLICK THE LINK FOR SEVEN DAY WEEKEND! THEN REVIEW! THANKS, LOVES! -Andy**


	22. Outtake: The Honeymoon

**Bedroom Confessions Outtake - The Honeymoon**

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

**EPOV**

We left early the next morning after the wedding for Meteora, Greece. Bella, clever girl that she was, knew all about the ancient city and had mentioned at one time that she had always wanted to go there. I had never heard of it, but she spoke of its centuries old castles and beautiful scenery, so I began to like the sound of it as well.

I'd never forget her face when I revealed that we'd be going there for our honeymoon, which was paid for by my father. Her expression, the entirety of her features contorted into a blend of surprise, excitement…utter happiness.

My heart swelled with joy at how that simple gesture affected her. Nothing to Bella was trivial; even the most subtle acts meant so much to her.

I told her the month before the wedding, when I received the airline tickets in the mail, and she had a suitcase packed by the next day. She was overly excited. I just watched, a smile locked on my face as she moved about the bedroom, pulling out clothes from drawers and talking about all the things we'd do. Her eyes danced the entire time.

We didn't sleep the night before we left, our wedding night, alternating between making love and discussing plans for when we'd get to Greece. She wanted to see the sights, but I would've been content to just lie with her, taste her skin and trace the curves of her petite body with my fingertips, never leaving the hotel room and just enjoying her…enjoying us.

It had been two years at that point since the horrific acts of Riley Biers, Bella's fucked up half-brother, and I still couldn't get enough of her. Despite the fact that our relationship had been virtually devoid of any stress since the night we left Forks for good, my desire for her remained intense, never wavering.

It was a chapter of our lives that we were able to close and move on from. We were indistinguishable from any other couple around us. We laughed at ridiculous movies, ate at our favorite restaurants…

Any indication of the trauma we'd been through had all but disappeared.

But I could never cease thanking God that he gave me Bella. Being away from her left me with the feeling of a slow burn that singed my body every minute until I went back to her.

Then, when I was with her, I couldn't let her go. Desire nipped at me as soon as I walked through the door of our apartment every night. It was that way for two years and only got worse after we were married.

Love, admiration, and passion poured out at the very sight of her. I couldn't help but close the distance between us quickly, desperate to rid myself of the overwhelming tension in my chest that had been caused by being separated from her all day.

My want for her never ceased, especially when we landed in Greece and entered the lavish hotel room that had been reserved for us. My mouth dropped, our suitcases fell to the floor with a thud I barely heard as I was enthralled with the space before us.

"Oh, my God," Bella uttered next to me.

"I know. Holy shit…" I responded.

"How much did this cost?" she asked, still stunned.

I shook my head. "I don't know. But by the looks of it? A lot."

The room must have been larger than our entire apartment in Seattle, and the bathroom was the size of our bedroom. As I scanned the room, my eyes fell on the wrought iron, four post, king-size bed covered by ornate pillows and a burgundy silk comforter. A large, flat screen TV hung on the opposite wall. Candles adorned an antique looking dresser, and next to it sat a vanity that was similar in color and design. There was a wood burning fireplace with a vase of red roses perched on its mantle. A marble topped bar full of fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, and a bottle of wine was against another wall.

"This is amazing," Bella said with a light giggle. "I don't even know what to do in a place like this."

I nodded in agreement as she headed to the bathroom, and I followed.

"Well, we could just spend all our time in bed, or…" I began to comment but stopped when she flipped the switch that illuminated the bathroom.

My mouth fell open again. "Holy shit…" I said for the second time. "Or… we could spend all our time in here."

We both fell quiet as we took in the luxurious bathroom. It contained two sinks, two showers, and a Jacuzzi tub in the center. The walls as well as the counters appeared to be marble, and the knobs on the tub looked to be made of gold.

"Yeah, we're getting in that tub, first thing," I said with a smirk.

She blushed, and that blush was enough to make my dick take notice and twitch in my pants.

"So, what? You just want to stay locked in this room with me for seven days?" she asked playfully.

I already felt beyond control, desire and need ablaze within me. I stalked toward her and gazed ardently into her eyes. I wanted her. Now that we were alone in the room, I wanted nothing more than to sink into the hot water of the Jacuzzi and trail the droplets with my tongue as they cascaded down her body.

I could hear her breathing quicken as I got closer, my dick growing harder with each step in anticipation for what was about to happen. She stood still, waiting for me as a smirk began to form on her lips. I bit back a groan. Seeing evidence of Bella's desire for me, her hungry looks, always fueled mine even more.

I reached her finally and gently laid my hands on her hips before bringing my mouth down to her ear. I grazed it with my lips and whispered, "Bella, you're my wife. All I want is to be with you, worship your body, and give you all the love and pleasure you deserve."

Her fingertips dug into my forearms as I spoke, and her breathing turned into uneven pants. I nipped at the shell of her ear, increasingly intoxicated by her scent, the lingering of perfume on her body.

"Do you want me?" I asked softly, seductively.

She swallowed hard. "Yes, I want you…so badly," she gasped.

I dragged my mouth from her ear to her neck, kissing and sucking her skin there, and she shuddered. I could almost feel it flow through her entire body. Leaning into her, I pressed my erection against her stomach, showing her just how much I wanted her too, naked, wet…water trickling down her skin.

Suddenly, I felt her hand on me as she slipped it between us, stroking and tracing the bulge my cock had made in my pants. A breath caught in my throat.

"Fuck, Bella," I hissed and closed my eyes.

Her hand began to press firmly, rubbing me in circles and making me crave her more and more. My hands swept over her body, traveling up to her shoulders and down to her ass, which I cupped and squeezed in my palms.

I inhaled her, taking in all of her love and I could feel the intensity of her passion in the way she began to pant heavily as she continued to move her hand against my erection.

Lust consumed me, and I couldn't bear it anymore. I reached for the hem of her shirt and swiftly pulled it over her head. My hands then reached back and unclasped her bra and tossed it to the floor, exposing her prefect, pert breasts.

I continued to move quickly, tugging at the button and zipper of her pants as she frantically pulled at mine. Once unfastened, her jeans fell to the floor, sliding off her body as I pushed them past her hips.

A moment later, she yanked at mine, and they dropped to my feet. We kicked off our shoes hurriedly while our mouths found each other's. Our tongues began to mingle. Her taste, the very essence of her caused a groan to escape my lips. It was sweet, intoxicating…

"I love you, Bella; my wife," I breathed into her mouth.

She leaned back enough to allow her hands to grip the hem of my T-shirt. "I love you, too," she said as she pulled it over my head.

My eyes locked with her warm, chocolate brown orbs. We exhaled in unison, releasing shallow, quick breaths as I lowered my gaze to her beautiful body, now clad in only thin lace panties.

She glanced away for a moment, at the Jacuzzi tub in the center of the bathroom, a quizzical expression on her face.

I shook my head. "I can't stop, baby. I need you, now."

A smirk played on her lips as she began to step away from me. I looked at her in confusion, wondering what she was doing.

"Wait," she simply said, her back to me.

I watched as she walked to the tub and turned the gold colored knobs causing the water to flow.

I chuckled lightly. "You're gonna make me wait?"

She turned her head and smiled at me. "I like this tub," she teased.

I knew what she was doing. She was making me suffer, playing with me, so that our love making would be that much more intense. But I knew deep down, she couldn't wait either. I began to move toward her, my expression hard but laced with want for her. My dick was painfully straining against my boxers, aching to be released. She kept her eyes on me, looking at me hungrily, the smile still on her lips.

Her lips, the way they curved…made my heart pound in my chest.

She turned to me as the tub continued to fill. Her eyes raked over my body as she waited for me to reach her. Instead, I stopped inches from her and curled my fingers into the waistband of my boxers, pushing them to the floor.

When my dick finally sprang free, her attention shifted there, and a look of anticipation twinkled in her eyes.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

**BPOV**

It was a dream come true. Edward was taking me to Meteora, Greece; my fantasy vacation. I had known about the place since I was a little girl. When Charlie would beat me, I'd make feeble attempts to disappear, even going as far as to order ridiculous travel magazines that featured exotic destinations I knew I'd never see. Greece was one of them. I'd imagine myself standing in front of a castle, a happy family by my side covered in sun screen and wearing cameras around our necks. I would see backpacks and hiking boots as we scaled the mountain sides, bickering with each other when we'd get lost.

None of these things were ever supposed to happen in my world…until Edward, my angel, came along. Now here we were, landing in the country I had always dreamed about visiting, and I had a happy family beside me. He was all I needed. My husband.

He had brought me out the darkness, first with the armoire, but by the time of our wedding, all the darkness in my life was gone completely, thanks to him. Although it had taken time, I learned to let go, of Charlie, of Riley Biers…and of Jake.

And only Edward captured my thoughts that day, the day we stepped into that hotel room and gaped in awe at the elegant space. It was more than I could've imagined in my dreams, which were beyond vivid. The furnishings, the mood, the colors…everything was perfect and breathtaking.

We stepped into the bathroom next, which was just as beautiful, and my eyes went straight to the lavish bathtub. I had never sat in nor even seen a Jacuzzi before, so I was immediately captivated by it. Then I couldn't help but blush when Edward stated that he wanted to make love in it. I wanted to as well.

Suddenly, I lost all will to leave the room…ever. Being there with him, enclosed in our personal getaway was enough for me. The ancient castles and glamorous restaurants meant nothing anymore. I wanted to be with him, enjoy him and allow him to enjoy me.

And then he touched me and whispered into my ear, his breath stirring my hair, making me quiver. He told me that he needed me, that he couldn't wait, and I fought it.

Not because I could wait, but because I knew that by holding him off, his passion would unleash to the fullest extent. He would hold me tighter, kiss me harder…make love to me with every ounce of strength he could muster.

Feeling his body move, feeling him completely let go was the sexiest thing I'd ever experienced, and I ached to experience it as often as I could. The longer we had been together, the more he had allowed me to see what he could truly do. He rocked me with pleasure, quickly driving me to edge every time. It was as if he had to touch me as soon as he walked in the door after work, like it was a need for him. And I loved it.

As the water ran, filling up the tub, he stood in front of me, still at first. Then his hands slipped into his boxers and he pushed them to the floor, revealing his stiff erection to me. I blushed but gazed unabashedly, eager with anticipation.

He came toward me again, and my heart thumped wildly in my chest, just as it always did when he was in close proximity. His hands touched my shoulders lightly, whispering against my skin and then started to slide down gradually.

The warmth of his fingers left the most wonderful sting as they made a trail down my arms, my hands…

He knelt, naked in front of me when his hands kept moving down, making their way to my thighs. We held our stare, lost in beauty of each other's eyes and lost in the ecstasy of tender touches and warm skin.

Traveling back up my thighs, his hands stopped at my panties, and delicately and slowly began to slip them over my hips and eventually to the floor. Heat went to cheeks, and my exhales became sharper and quicker as he brought his eyes down to my center, staring ardently.

"I want to taste you," he said, his fingers stinging my flesh. Chills ran down my body at his words.

I wanted it. I couldn't wait for it. "Please, Edward…"

He glanced at me from under his eyelashes. "Please what? Tell me, Bella."

I hesitated for a moment, still modest even as immense passion flowed through me.

"Please…taste me," I begged.

He lowered his gaze again and shifted his hands to the inside of my thighs, urging them apart slightly. As he did so, I leaned back on the side of the tub in a slight seated position, bracing myself. My eyes fell closed.

I felt the first gentle lick of his tongue as it swept over my center once, and I gasped, every muscle clenching. My fingertips gripped the rim of the tub, and my toes curled.

He made another pass, deeper this time, more fervent. His hands held firmly to my hips.

"Oh, God," I whispered through gritted teeth.

A tingle ran from my shoulders down to my feet as he continued to swirl his tongue and suck at my skin. He kneaded and pressed against my throbbing clit with his mouth as I threw my head back, already on the verge of losing it.

He could sense my holding back and teased me even more, flicking my swollen nub with his tongue repeatedly. A shriek, followed by a moan, propelled from my lips, and my fingers gripped tighter, turning white.

"Oh, Edward. I can't…I can't stand it. I need to…" I trailed off, breathless.

His lips reverberated against me as he said, "Let go, baby. Let go and let me feel it. I wanna hear you."

He moved his lips again, firmly planting his tongue against my clit, sucking ferociously while I bucked my hips and felt warmth overtake me. My pussy convulsed, and my hands flew to his hair as I came hard. I heard a muffled groan and looked down to see his eyes were closed, a hard line in his forehead. He held me firmly in place while I squirmed and tugged at his hair, riding his mouth through my orgasm.

I began to settle after a moment, my breathing uneven and my skin flushed. My legs felt weak underneath me as Edward gave one last lazy lick across my center, taking in all my juices that lingered there. He stood finally, and I collapsed in his arms, spent but thoroughly satisfied.

"So sweet, Bella. You always taste so fucking sweet," he commented, and I chuckled breathlessly, crimson creeping back to my cheeks.

The tub was full, and as Edward still held me, he reached behind me and turned on the jets, setting the water in motion.

Bringing his head down, he grazed my ear with his lips. "You ready?"

I could only nod in response, the movements of his tongue so pleasurable that my body had turned to mush. With ease, he lifted me and gently lowered me into the refreshing heat. Relaxation hit me almost immediately.

But then I felt him again, hardness pressing against my leg as he sat in the water. I wanted him. Even though my body was sated, and I was content, I wanted him inside me. Hunger was still heavy in his eyes; hunger to be with me. To feel him let go and unleash all of his desire for me in this place, on our honeymoon…was the only thing I wanted to feel.

I looked at him, silently begging as the water crashed against his arms and rushed away again, leaving droplets trickling from his body.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

**EPOV**

The taste of her pussy, that exquisite taste, still lingered in my mouth as I sat down in the tub, closely in front of her. As my head was nestled between her thighs, it took all my strength not to stand up, grab her ass and lift her so that I could thrust my aching cock into her finally.

But I loved to watch her come undone and let go, losing herself in the euphoria of her orgasm. I also loved to feel it happen on my lips and take in her sweet juices.

She was exhausted in my arms and appeared to be relaxed when I laid her in the water, but wasn't soon before she glanced at me, and I saw it there again.

Lust…

Want…

Desire…

She was eyeing me, begging me to take her, and my dick grew impossibly harder in response. Her chest still heaved slightly, her body continuing to recover from what I had done with my tongue, but her brown orbs looked upon me with anticipation. I couldn't refuse, nor could I wait any longer. I needed to be inside her.

"Come here," I whispered.

She untangled her legs from between mine and moved forward, kneeling with a leg on each side of me. In spite of the extremely warm temperature of the water, I felt the heat of her pussy instantly when she straddled me.

The silkiness of her folds grazed my cock, and I felt a sharp tingle reverberate throughout my body. She continued to tease me, gliding lightly then pressing harder as she stared at me, lust burning between us.

I refused to let the torture last any longer, and once I found an opportunity and she stilled, I gripped her shoulders. Excitement flared in her chocolate eyes. She knew what I was about to do.

In one forceful movement, I plunged myself deep inside her, grunting and closing my eyes as she gasped loudly. Her walls clenched, surrounding my cock tightly. Leaning forward, I buried my face between her breasts and clutched her hips with my hands. Her hips began to gyrate, moving in circles, causing rhythmic jolts of pleasure to surge through me.

I moved my face to one of her breasts and sucked the pointed and hard nipple into my mouth, teasing it with my tongue.

"Oh, God…" she exclaimed breathlessly as she sped up and began to pump my dick in and out of her.

I bit down lightly as she did so and tugged at her nipple with my teeth. My jaw flexed as she moved, rising and falling, and I basked in the way she felt. Soft, slick, warm…tight. Her pussy was divine. She was the only woman I'd ever want. The only woman that existed in my world.

Finally, I released her nipple from between my teeth and looked up at her. Her breaths were quick, labored, and a hard line had formed in her forehead. But her eyes were lustful and determined. Her hands showed purpose as they gripped firmly to my hair, holding on while her hips bucked wildly.

Each time my dick slid out of her and then back in again, I felt the pressure building, my orgasm coming too quickly. I wanted to stave it off. I wanted our love making to last, regardless of the fact that we would be there all week and could have sex whenever we wanted.

I locked my fingers around her hips and held her while staring intently into her eyes.

"Let's take our time, baby. I want to enjoy you," I told her sweetly.

I could feel her body quiver, attempting to calm down, and her movements slowed, dwindling back to the simple swaying she was doing earlier. I leaned forward again and made of trail of torrid kisses along her neck and down to the peaks of her breasts.

Soft whimpers escaped her lips as she threw her head back. "Edward…you have no idea what you do to me," she whispered.

I chuckled and flicked her nipple with my tongue quickly. Her muscles tensed, and she moaned in response. "I think I do," I answered with a smirk.

She continued to roll her hips slowly but with force, encasing my cock completely in her pussy and allowing me to feel every bit of her. My heart pounded; pleasure soared at the sensation. I squeezed and kneaded her ass in my hands as I began to thrust my hips upward to meet hers, steady at first, then gradually increasing in speed. She stabilized herself after a moment, keeping still when I started pumping faster. I knew I was unraveling and holding off was no longer an option.

I could feel myself being brought closer to the edge and my body began act on its own accord, driving into her harder and deeper with each powerful thrust. My muscles burned, my knuckles turned white as I clung to her, but I couldn't ease up. My body refused to.

She whimpered and panted, gripping the sides of the tub as she held herself up.

"Oh, yes, Edward!" she cried loudly. "God, you feel so good!"

Her words spurred me on as I knew she was enjoying it as much as I was. She wanted me as badly as I wanted her. I pressed the back of my head against the rim of the tub, and my jaw clenched as I worked, plunging my dick inside her deeply then back out again. The muscles of her pussy flexed, closing in on me tightly. It felt fucking good, and I was on the verge of explosion within seconds.

I wanted to watch her and look into her eyes as I came. I needed her to see what she was doing to me. As I lifted my head from the edge of the bathtub, my eyes fell to her body, glistening with sweat as water crashed around her. She was gazing at me ardently, waiting for me to let go.

_Fuck…_

She said nothing, but I could read her expression.

"_I want you to come, now," _it said.

I thrust more wildly, burning pain attacking my joints, but I didn't care. The feel of her…her breasts, her lips, her eyes, her pussy were all I acknowledged.

And then I reached it. My orgasm rushed through me intensely, taking captive every cell in a wave of euphoria. It was almost too much to bear, and my fingers gripped her hips, digging in with force.

"Fuck!" I managed to choke out as I struggled to keep my eyes fixed on her.

She remained silent except for her shallow and exhausted pants, watching me intently. My breath was raw in my throat, and I felt my dick twitch repeatedly as I came inside her. I continued to move, but gradually eased up on her when my body began to calm.

Catching my breath, I fell back against the tub, and my fingers released her from their tight hold and lulled gently. My muscles still burned, but I couldn't help but smirk at her. We had both experienced an equal amount of pleasure, which satisfied me immensely.

Neither of us could get up; it was useless. Instead, I pulled her to me, and her head rested on my chest.

The only sound in the room became the swishing of the water as we fell into a quiet contentment. She nuzzled into my neck, and I ran my fingers through her now wet hair.

"Edward?" she suddenly began softly, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Would you ever have thought…that we'd be here? Together for this long and married?"

Puzzled by her question, I leaned my head away slightly, still keeping her close, so that I could look at her. "What do you mean, Bella? Of course I did."

"I guess what I mean is, when you met me, did you feel strongly for me right away?" she asked, shyly.

I smiled at her adoringly, enamored with her meekness. "The day I met you, I can't even begin to describe how deeply connected I felt to you. It was like this…pull. And for some reason, I couldn't imagine not ever seeing you again. It was as if from that moment on, I wanted you in my life, in any way possible."

She returned the smile as her already flushed cheeks burned brighter with red. "I felt the same way. I'd never been so instantly at ease with someone. I could trust you right away, and I couldn't explain why." She shrugged. "I just knew."

My heartbeat missed at her words, pride, love, and joy swelling within me all at once. She closed her eyes and buried her face into my neck once again. I held her firmly and leaned in to plant a kiss to her forehead, inhaling deeply, her as my source of happiness and peace.

Lying in that Jacuzzi bathtub with her, I knew that the next seven days, completely alone with Bella, were going to be the closest to Heaven I'd ever reach while alive. A smile was fixed on my face as I looked at her…my wife. I could never love anything more.

* * *

**The End. hehe =) Leave a review if you'd like. I appreciate everyone reading! *hugs and love* -Andy**


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